Love on a Leaf
by Ommy
Summary: Life as a college student can be very unforgiving. Can TK, Ken, and Izzy be with the girls they love, when so many obstacles stand in their way? Can music teacher, Matt, stand up to Dean Takenouchi? (TAKARI, KENLEI, KOUIMI, SORATO) *COMPLETED!*
1. Prologue

This is my first shot at a Digimon fic as well as a romance, so please review and give your input on the story. The fic is based on a movie that I recently saw and incorporates some of the Digidestined, so ages might be a bit off. If you can name the film, e-mail me with the answer, and I will draw you a picture that has some relevancy to the story. The only hint you're getting is that it is a movie from a country in Asia. The story takes place as TK, Ken, and Izzy are going to college. It seems I can't stop myself from rambling (*sigh*). Well, here goes. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon (it seems I don't own a lot of things!). The plot has been borrowed and remade Digimon-style from the mystery movie I just referred to.

**Love on a Leaf**

It was a rather dull night at the Kyoto Central Train Station. The clock read 2:17 A.M. The final train had just pulled in. Out of the train stepped a tall figure, with golden blonde hair, and shimmering blue eyes. He wore a basketball jersey with an "O" engraved on the front to signify that he once played for the Odaiba team. With a deep sigh, TK stepped off the train with his luggage in tow. It had been a long night for TK so all he wanted to do was sleep. However he had places to go. As such, he rested on a nearby bench with a pole beside it with a mark that declared it as a bus stop. A second young man then stepped out of the train. He was around TK's height, with deep violet eyes, and matching hair. He took a look around as he left the podium, and saw TK on the bench. Ken approached TK and said a friendly hello, followed by a handshake, which TK gladly reciprocated. He then plopped himself down on the bench, as he was tired too, and proceeded to wait for the bus along with TK. A third young man then stepped out of the train with his luggage, and a distinguishable Pineapple Laptop. He was rather short with brown hair that didn't seem to be kept well. He, too, took a look around and then proceeded to walk to the bus stop where the other two boys were waiting. Unlike TK and Ken, Izzy was wide awake and full of energy, for some reason. He brandished a big smile at the others and said hello. After waiting for about five minutes, a thought (or more - a theory) popped into Izzy's head.

"Are you both waiting for the bus that is going to Kyoto Academy?" he asked.

Both boys nodded to confirm. At that point all three of them couldn't help but smile. Little did they know that what had just started as a mere acquaintance, will soon blossom into a strong friendship.

To be continued... well this was just the prologue, soon enough I will upload the remainder of the story.


	2. Chance Encounters

Well it's time for the next instalment. Also, I'm going to give you another clue on the mystical movie on which I have based this on, and "digimodified" to the story you are reading. Also, I plan on doing this for each instalment. This week's hint is: the movie's title is in another language, and its direct translation is "love". Oooooh, I wonder what it could be! ^_^ This is now where the _real_ story begins. In this story Tai and Kari will retain the last name, Kamiya, for the sake of _some_ consistency. As you can guess if you read the prologue, TK, Ken, and Izzy have just met for the first time. TK and Matt will _not_ be related to each other. However, as you can probably guess, they will keep the same separate names that we all know. Lastly, ages will not be consistent to one another. All you need to know is that TK, Izzy, and Ken are 19 at the time, most people they meet are around the same age, unless otherwise stated. Now before I reveal too much, let's get the disclaimer done with.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Digimon. Why is this?! How come Toei gets all the good stuff?! Damn, rich, Japanese guys! Must I destroy them so I that may claim it for myself? *silence* Err......on with the fic!

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It was a cool autumn morning, with a light breeze in the air. The scene that the boys saw outside of the bus windows was just breathtaking. Several hills full of trees were plentiful amongst the countryside, and all the leaves on every tree had gone through their colourful metamorphosis. The breeze carried several of the leaves across the plains, and some got into the bus through the open windows. TK seemed particularly interested in the one that landed next to him. He quickly admired the brownish-red leaf and let it loose back outside to fly freely in the wind once more. The bus ride was taking a while, as Kyoto Academy was far out from the big city of the same name. It was in a secluded, little town that was rather simple, but had all the necessary requirements to live on, as well as to have good amounts of entertainment.

The bus entered the town after about two hours of driving from the station. The boys were quite impressed with the quantity of activity that was happening in the vicinity. There was a huge crowd around the whole area. There was a marketplace, some cafes, lots of houses along the outskirts, a hospital, and a central fountain. In the distance they saw two exceptionally large buildings, but they couldn't quite make out what they were. However they were nearing them. They soon realized that the buildings were distanced from the rest of the town, and saw that the lesser of the two buildings was an all-girl college. The other was the infamous Kyoto Academy. They had finally arrived.

"Secluded in a secluded area, how much quiet does one need?!" joked Ken.

"Well I guess this just helps in the studying process." responded Izzy.

The Academy was truly a sight to behold. After the bus had dropped them off and left, all three of them gazed in awe. In front of them was a giant, iron gate and fence, that made up the perimeter of the school. Behind the fence was a vast meadow and garden that had several gazebos scattered about, as well as a long, reflecting pool that stretched from the gate for about 60 feet or so until it reached a rather large, empty gazebo. Behind that was the majestic, five-story building of the college which was comprised of the classrooms, staff offices, and lodgings for all her students.

The guard opened the gate for them and allowed them in. The three then walked with their luggage very slowly to take in the unheard of beauty that was around them. To think that for the next phase of their lives, that this would be their new home. It was marvellous.

After getting some information from the help desk and receiving their uniforms, which consisted of grey slacks, a white shirt, a black tie, and a red blazer with the school insignia on the front; they found their room. It had a computer and desk at the side, a complete washroom, a bunk-bed on one half of the room and a single bed on the other.

"Well I call this bed!" Ken said in a hurry, pointing to the single. TK and Izzy just groaned. "These beds aren't that bad" Ken stated, after testing his out.

"Speak for yourself! Mine is totally stiff!" TK retorted. Izzy nodded in frustration after testing his upper bunk out. The boys then began to unpack their belongings so they could make the cold room more familiar. TK took a small photo out of his bag. that he was about to place on the nightstand next to him, but Ken tried to intercept it. TK recoiled his hand back to his chest to hide the picture.

"What's that TK?" Ken asked.

"It's just an old photo, Ken, don't worry about it." TK hesitantly said.

"Oh come on! Let's have a look!" Ken replied, unsatisfied with TK's response. TK reluctantly agreed and allowed Ken to see. In the photo stood two kids - a boy and a girl - who looked to be barely in their preteens. The boy had a fisherman's hat, and wore a green and yellow shirt with matching shorts. He had blonde hair poking out from under the hat, and bright, blue eyes. Ken believed it to be TK at a younger age. The girl sported a pink tank top with matching Capri's, mahogany hair that was somewhat short with a distinctive hairclip, and reddish-brown eyes which seemed close to the colour of autumn leaves. Both kids had big smiles on their faces and were holding hands. Ken smirked at this. "Is this your girlfriend, TK?" he teased.

"No she isn't!" TK said defensively, "She's just an old friend of mine, that's all."

"Of course she is." Ken said, not believing him for one second. "Tell me about this mysterious young lady."

TK then started his little anecdote and spoke in a sad, reflective tone. "There's not much to say, really. Her name is Kari, and ever since we were in diapers, we lived next door to each other and were naturally the best of friends. We did everything together. Then when we were eleven, her father got a new job offered to him, and they had to move. I was devastated. Her older brother, Tai, took that photo of us at the front of her house just four days before she moved. Unfortunately, I was unable to contact her, and the town she was moving to, as she said, 'was in the middle of nowhere'. I never saw her again. It's been eight years." He didn't notice until he was finished, that both Izzy and Ken were listening to him intently.

"And you never told her how you felt?" Ken asked.

"What are you talking about, Ken?" TK reciprocated.

"Well obviously you felt something there between the two of you that was more than friendship." Ken responded.

"I really have no clue as to what you are saying." TK said, innocently.

"You know you shouldn't be so shy, how else would she be able to recognize you as more than a friend?" Ken replied. TK simply blushed at the idea that he was considered shy, but also he felt something within him that found some truth within Ken's statement. Ken continued, "You know, I used to be shy, too. Especially after the death of my older brother. I never spoke to anyone, and I kept myself isolated from the rest of the world. Trust me, TK, it doesn't work. Being shy just worsens your life, you cannot live on the sidelines on the soccer game of life. Luckily I did something about it before it was too late. I started working out, playing soccer, and I even learned how to dance! Today I have become the confident, yet modest individual you see before you."

Now it was Izzy's turn to smirk. "Confident to the point of cockiness it seems, Ken!" Ken just made a face at him. Izzy was still studying the room, when he looked out the window, a lone figure caught his eye. Immediately he recognized who it was. "Hey guys, come here, I want to show you something." he stated to the two. They complied and made their way to the window. Izzy recommenced, "You see that man there in the black suit, walking by the reflecting pool?" Ken and TK nodded. "That's the dean of Kyoto Academy, Mr. Takenouchi, I hear that he's a very disciplined man who never smiles, he always has a serious tone about him. People say he runs the school like an army. He is a very highly respected individual to many" the other two just gulped. The dean indeed had a serious look on his face, and his eyes seemed so cold, yet so lonely. Izzy brought them back to reality. "Guys, we have a lot of unpacking to do, plus orientation is going on after lunch." They resumed the tasks they set out to do before their small chat.

Lunch was quite something for the three. The cafeteria was more like a formal dining hall. The sheer splendour of the decor, and the quality of food was gladly welcome. According to another student at the school who had been attending for a year - 18-year-old Cody Hida, a gifted student, as he had skipped two grades, and wound up at Kyoto Academy, well known in the town, since his mother ran the all-girls college next door - everyone had to wear the uniforms virtually everywhere in the school, with the exception of their respective private rooms. After lunch was over, the students then filed into the main hall.

The main hall's architecture was exquisite. Several marble columns lined the great room across the floor of the same material. At the front end of the room was a giant sized school insignia. At the centre of the room the new students formed organized rows that parted in the middle. There they waited in silence for orientation to begin. For some reason there was an ominous feeling about this room, or was it about what the orientation would be about...

Mr. Takenouchi calmly walked into the room and stood at the front of the mass of red jackets. He crossed his arms, licked his lips and began to speak. "Honour, Tradition, and Discipline - these are the three founding traits that best describe this institution. Many young men (A/N: this Academy is an all-boys school), like yourselves have come to this school with high expectations. They have left as famous writers, successful business men, and respected politicians. All of them have followed, and continue to follow the principles of this school. Now you come before Kyoto Academy with the same aspirations. Before we get to the curriculum, it is required that you are familiar with the rules of the Academy. We expect all of you to follow the rules at this school devoutly. These rules have been with this school ever since it was founded, and they will never change. So it is up to you to learn them. Understand that violation of rules will not be tolerated. Most importantly, you must recognize the severe repercussions of breaking the rules. There is a great possibility of expulsion, upon non-compliance, and I do not believe that you want to ruin your lives. For you see, if you leave this school expelled, the doors to other universities are closed to you...forever. Now if any of you are not able to handle such responsibility, by all means, walk out that door right now." He motioned to the door behind the mass. "Otherwise, I want you all to bow your heads, close your eyes, and think very hard about what I have just told you." Every head went down in unison, creating a loud ruffling sound. After a few seconds had passed, little by little they all raised their heads. When they all raised their heads, the dean concluded. "Welcome to Kyoto Academy, know that this is your only home until your graduation. There is no outside world beyond these walls when school is in session. Lights out are at 10:00PM sharp. Good day gentlemen." With that, everyone left the room with their heads deep in thought.

The following day, Ken had woke up early to take a jog around the outside of the school. He was obviously oblivious to the time, as he heard the bell ring. He cursed himself for his lack of memory, and quickened his pace, as the bell indicated that class was to start in fifteen minutes. As he ran to the gate. He noticed a figure in the bushes. Being as bold as he was, he ran to apprehend the trespasser. He saw the person turn away from him. It was the perfect time to strike. With a burst of speed, Ken grabbed at the person's coat. The individual turned around startled. Ken was surprised to see that it was a girl, and a good-looking one at that. She had long purple hair, which was covered with a bandana. Her most noticeable feature were her unfeasibly oversized glasses, but she was still rather cute in Ken's eyes. Right away Ken was captivated, and he let go of her. The young woman who appeared to be about the same age took this as an opening and dashed away. Ken didn't chase after her, since he realized that he would be late for class soon. He deduced that the girl went to the college that is run by Mrs. Hida. He was beginning to formulate a plan.

In their Calculus class, Izzy was impressing his classmates and his teacher with his grasp on the subject. It seemed as if derivatives came natural to the young man. Him and the teacher became fast friends. He even asked him for a favour: pick up a colleague from the local train station. Izzy, being the kind soul that he is, gladly accepted. His teacher was grateful.

When Izzy arrived at the station it was dusk. It was rather quiet, and the only one there was the stationmaster who said the train would arrive shortly. Just as he heard the whistle of the train coming by, he looked across the tracks and noticed a young lady standing by the tracks herself, she had brown hair, with what looked like pink highlights, and she wore a white dress that had the feel that it was used in a wedding. The look in her eyes was one of a very melancholy nature, as if she was hoping for something, but knew that she should not. The train then arrived at the station, thus blocking Izzy's view of the young lady that had sparked an interest in him. He welcomed the colleague of his teacher and took his bags for him. As they were leaving, Izzy stopped briefly and watched as the train pass by. When the other side of the tracks was clear, the girl was gone. Defeated, he headed back to school.

When Izzy got back to school, the sun had long set, and the time was nearing 10:00. He noticed his friends in the big gazebo in front of the school sitting on the railings, so he decided to join them. He noticed Ken was telling TK something.

"...just this morning I met this strange girl that was trespassing, she was so beautiful, and I think that she lives at the all-girl college next door. When class is over tomorrow, I'm going to sneak over there and try and get a date....Izzy, it took you long enough. What's up?" Ken said.

"Nothing really, so you're gonna ask someone on a date I hear, I would advise against it." Izzy replied.

"And why is this, Mr. Bootlick." Ken scoffed.

Izzy just smirked. "Because I have heard a story about the Academy that might just be a rumour." Ken and TK's ears picked up, silently asking Izzy to continue. "Well you see, about five years ago or so, there was a student who went to this school that broke the cardinal rule of Kyoto Academy - he fell in love. When the dean found out, he was furious. He expelled the student the very next day after hearing this. He didn't even meet the student or even saw him to hear him out...just like that." Izzy snapped his fingers to make the point. "...and you know what happens when you are expelled from the Academy. Needless to say, the young man was crushed and just disappeared, left without a trace. The girl he was in love with took it worse, and was completely devastated. She committed suicide shortly afterwards." The two just gasped silently at this. "You would think that such an incident would soften Takenouchi's heart, but instead it only made it harder. Which is odd...for you see the girl was......Sora Takenouchi, the dean's one and only child." Ken and TK took a step back in shock. "So do yourselves a favour, do not fall in love, there's plenty of time afterwards." Izzy solemnly concluded. As if on cue, the "Lights out" bell rang. They retired to their rooms. Izzy could not break the thoughts of the girl that plagued his mind from the station. He prayed that he would not have to take his own advice.

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To be continued... be sure to tune in next week for the next part! Well the story's just starting to get really interesting, don't you think? Please review and share your thoughts.


	3. Challenges

Well another week has passed, so I guess it's time for another instalment to this growing story. This week's hint on the mystery film is: it specifically comes from India (thereby making it a musical, too). Well that should narrow down your choices. This should make the search _much_ easier if you are resourceful, and if you have been reading the past instalments. Normally, I don't watch Indian movies (since I am not Indian to begin with), but this movie enthralled me, so to speak. When the movie is revealed to you, I suggest you go out and rent it, because it is simply wonderful (make sure you have a DVD player, cause it is more readily available in that format). Don't worry, there are subtitles! With that said and done, on with the next bit of business (which is coincidently, the most annoying, yet necessary bit).

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon....I won't go into it; it's too painful! _

Well when we last left our three amigos, Ken and Izzy chanced upon two (not so) mysterious ladies, and TK had mentioned his old childhood friend. We also got introduced to the dean, Mr. Takenouchi, and what a hard case he is! Time has passed, and it has now been about a month since the boys' chance encounters. Will fate play a wild card? Who is brave (or foolhardy) enough to stand up to the bitter dean, and when will he/she show up? Only time will tell...

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It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and was rather warm with a light breeze in the air. The temperature had a comfortable feeling to it, as if it was "room temperature", where you barely felt different when stepping outdoors. TK saw no need for long-sleeved clothing, so he went out to the marketplace with a light t-shirt and a pair of baggy jeans. He was rather content that he was not in his stuffy school uniform.

The narrow street that was lined with several stores that made up the marketplace was overflowing with people going about their own business. With a small sigh, TK ventured from the head of the street into the thick of the commotion, losing himself within a vast sea of individuals...losing his worries...losing his responsibilities...losing himself. He let his instincts navigate him through the crowd, as his mind was in another universe altogether. However, it seemed his instincts were a bit off as he careened into a young lady purchasing some jewellery (maybe his instincts weren't off! ^_~). They didn't fall, but staggered nonetheless. The young woman's shopping bags; however, were not so fortunate. 

"I'm so sorry, miss. Here let me help you pick up your bags." TK said, immediately apologizing for his unnatural clumsiness. With that, he stooped over to gather the lady's belongings When TK had collected all that items he had dropped, he raised himself only to look sheepishly into the person's face. The look did not last long, as it was replaced with a simple glare with his mouth agape. The girl was rather stunning. She wore rather tight clothing - a mini skirt and a tank top - and had chestnut brown hair, done in a ponytail, that was a little longer than shoulder-length. She was obviously quite a fashionable woman, as her face was completely done over with the works - lipstick, mascara, etc. Her eyes gained more of his attention as they had the remarkable quality of being reddish-brown - like autumn leaves. The girl squinted her eyes at him, in what looked like an attempt to recognize something deep within her memory that she held close within the recesses of her heart.

"T.....Takeru Takaishi? TK.....is your name TK by any chance?" The girl said with uncertainty and overwhelming hope that was trying to be restrained. TK, at this point, was trying desperately to think. He, too, squinted his eyes trying to recall his past. He thought she looked rather familiar, but his mind was not wholly convinced.

"Yes it is, how did you know that?" TK responded with unbearable curiosity. The girl's eyes went as wide as humanly possible as she let out a high-pitched scream, and dove into TK's arms, giving him a very tight hug. She was completely ecstatic. Where she was now, cloud nine was just far below her to be even visible. When she released the confused boy, she had tears of joy flowing from her eyes...along with the running mascara. She was definitely not getting through to him, so she reintroduced herself.

"Don't you remember me, TK? It's me, Hikari Kamiya." At this point TK lost all feeling in his entire body, but he retained his footing. He was absolutely speechless. He could not believe that he was once again in the company of his dearest friend. Soon enough, he felt tears welling in the corners of his eyes. It was not time for him to return the favour by hugging her back with the same amount of feeling that she had used.

"I cannot believe this! It truly is you, Kari! You've changed quite a bit since I've seen you last." TK finally said.

"You've grown up a lot since I last saw you, but otherwise you look almost the same. That's probably why I recognized you. God, it's been so long! Well, what have you been up to, TK?" Kari said.

"Not much, really." TK said, not knowing what to say. "I'm now in college, actually. I attend Kyoto Academy here in town." Kari nearly jumped for joy.

"That's great TK! Now we can hang out. It'll be just like it was before I moved away. All the great times we had were so amazing to have ended, truly it was fate that drew us together like this. I told you that you couldn't get rid of me!" Kari replied as she winked. To which, TK just chuckled lightly. "However this cheesy small-talk isn't going anywhere! You've got to come by my house soon so we can finally catch up. I know that Tai and dad would be glad to see you again!"

"What about your mom, Kari?" TK questioned. Kari lowered her head a bit. She had an uncomforting feeling about her, ever so slightly.

"She passed away from breast cancer when I was thirteen." Kari said solemnly.

"Oh God, I'm sorry, Kari, I had no idea. She was such a wonderful person, your mother." said TK.

"Yeah, but there's no changing the past, life goes on, and her spirit lives on...in my heart." Kari stated, once again smiling. TK smiled back with a reassuring face. Kari then fumbled about for a pen and scrap of paper. When she found these items, she scribbled some bits of information on it. "Before I forget, here's my phone number and my address. I don't live too far from here you know. When can you come over?"

"Well since I'm real busy with school, the best time would have to be next Sunday" TK said with a hint of disappointment. Kari also had a similar look on her face.

"Sunday it is! I can't wait." said Kari. TK agreed. Kari looked at her watch and was a bit startled. "Damn, I have to go, TK, I have to help my father with some clothes shopping. He just recently got back to dating, and I think he made a good impression on someone he recently met."

"That's OK, Kari, I have to get back to the campus, I have an Algebra and Geometry test to study for, and I don't know the difference between cross product and dot product! Lousy vectors! 'Till Sunday, Kari, I'll see you later" TK simply stated.

"Thankfully, the idea of a 'later' will be a reality now. Later, TK." Kari said as she waved goodbye. With that, they both went their separate ways.

The following Monday meant business as usual. Classes were in session and the three friends were writing their Algebra test, which proved to be as challenging as they had anticipated. Meanwhile...

An individual was approaching the gates of Kyoto Academy. When the figure reached the guard, he noticed that the officer was a bit disgruntled for reasons unknown. It looked like the person would not be allowed entry into the compound...until he pulled out a yellow rose from his jacket and gave it to the guard. He was somewhat confused at the gesture, but felt a bit better. The person then whispered something to the guard, which made the officer stare at the figure in disbelief. Nevertheless, he allowed the man in.

As he walked along the reflecting pool, he noticed a lady groundskeeper raking the leaves from the pathways. He offered her a yellow rose that seemed to brighten her face and her mood with it. The man continued to walk towards the building. He noticed two individuals that, upon closer inspection, were painters who were working on the side of the building. They were quarrelling with each other. The man approached them and handed them their own yellow roses. The two stopped bickering, and went back to work.

Mr. Takenouchi was sealed away in his office focused on some paperwork, when all of a sudden, he heard something out of place. It was the sound of someone playing a guitar. It was the sound of music.

The dean stopped his task and proceeded to the front of the building, where he estimated the melody was originating. When he opened the main doors, as he suspected, he saw someone playing a guitar. Upon hearing the creaking of the doors, the guitarist stopped, and turned around to face the perplexed principal. He was a slender man, with blazing blue eyes, gelled yet untamed golden yellow hair, and a yellow rose in his breast pocket. He gave the dean a cheerful smile.

"Mr. Takenouchi, I presume. Greetings, my name is Matt Ishi. We talked on the telephone a few days ago." The man said.

"Of course. Please, follow me to my office where we can discuss the matters of which you speak." Replied the dean with a hint of annoyance. Matt nodded, and walked with him back to the dean's office. The office was just as dignified as the dean was and suited him very well. It was deathly quiet, and was very cold. However, Mr. Takenouchi had some sort of taste when it came to decorating, because the office was furnished well. The dean was just finishing writing something, so he asked Matt to take a seat. The silence of the room was broken by the young man tapping on his black guitar case in order to get a musical rhythm. The dean looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. Matt saw this and quickly apologized. He gently placed his case on the desk in front of him and chuckled nervously as he said he was sorry once more.

When the dean finished his paperwork, he put it away in his leather briefcase and then proceeded to converse with Matt.

"So you wish to teach music here at Kyoto Academy?" Mr. Takenouchi asked.

"That is correct sir." Matt said, with a now serious tone.

"Here at Kyoto Academy, we have never had music taught. Could you tell me why we should start now?" Queried the dean.

"Well I've noticed that at this school, the students are pushing themselves far too greatly, thereby causing a lot of stress. I believe that music will enrich their lives in all aspects. They will learn to cope with stress and will not over-exert themselves, they will become better at math, and they will have fun learning something new." Explained Matt. These ideas slightly intrigued the old man, but only for a split-second.

"Well how would you know if the students would want to take up your course?" The dean questioned.

"Mr. Takenouchi, I have heard by reputation that you are a man who likes challenges. I, too, enjoy a good challenge. Therefore I propose that if I can gain interest in enough students to take the course, then I would gladly love to teach it to them." Matt replied. He was right about the dean. The man loved to be challenged, what better way to show others that he is the one who is always correct.

"Very well, Mr. Ishi, your challenge begins now. Convince me that enough students want to learn music." The dean simply said.

"Thank you, dean Takenouchi." Matt said. They both stood to their feet. Matt thrust his hand forward to shake hands, but his hand was not met with another.

"You have until the end of the week, Mr. Ishi, otherwise you will just have to go." Mr. Takenouchi stated as he left.

"Of course, sir." Matt said, meekly.

Classes were finally over for the day, and the students were about to exit the main doors. This didn't leave Matt much time. He quickly set up about thirty or so chairs in the big gazebo in front of the school and sat down on a chair at the front of the rows of empty seats. He waited for the bell to ring. He had his fingers poised over the strings of his guitar. When the bell sounded, and he saw the first student emerge from the building, he began to play a soothing ballad.

When several students had made their way outside, they were puzzled to find someone playing music on the school grounds. However, they were quickly losing interest. All Matt could do now is hope that he could entice some of them to at least venture over to the gazebo. That was when TK, Izzy, and Ken walked out, mentally exhausted from their test. When the rich sound reached their ears, they stood no chance, and were instantly drawn to it. The three made their way to the podium. Then curiosity struck Cody and some other students, as they started following the three. Matt smiled at his accomplishment as the students started sitting down. He was impressed to see quite a good number of students on his first day alone. After the last student took a seat, he stopped playing and looked at them intently. 

"Music...music is a universal language spoken by many." Matt began. "It encourages us, and it fuels us. Are any of you interested in music?" Several students made questionable faces, so Matt rethought his strategy. "Music is not just about the instruments or the sounds; it is primarily about passion and feeling. We use instruments to express how we feel, in a tangible way. For instance, during school hours that gate is closed to you, correct?" He pointed towards the main gate, which was closed. The boys nodded in confirmation. "Well imagine that your love is just beyond that gate, beckoning you to be with her." He looked around to see that he wasn't really relating to everyone. "Oh come on! Haven't any of you ever been in love?" His focus then shifted to the three friends. He noticed that they were still staring at the gate. He smiled at this. Deep in the worlds of TK, Ken, and Izzy; they could see the ones they loved on the other side of the gate. Kari, the strange girl with the large glasses, and the sorrowful girl in the white dress were the only subjects on their respective minds. Matt took this opportunity into his own hands as he directed his speech specifically towards the three boys. "She's calling to you. Break free. Break the gate down if need be!"

That was all the encouragement they needed. In a flash, they were up from their seats. They made a mad dash towards the gate, and the three of them kicked the gate open...together. There grew an uproarious cheer from the other students, as the three stood at the now open gate triumphantly. Matt just stood there with his arms crossed, smiling at the three he got through to the most. Something told him that their budding love stories would intertwine along his own path in life.

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To be continued...

Well let's see. I cranked this kinda earlier than expected, do I might decide to do another chapter right away, instead of waiting another week. Just a reminder, TK and Matt are _not_ related in this fic. Also, yes I am aware that I misspelled Matt's last name, but that was intentional. Why did I do this? You'll just have to wait until more of the story unfolds. Review and share your thoughts.


	4. Changes

As I said, I would produce this chapter real fast, since the previous one was done earlier than scheduled. It's taking a while to write cause I seem to have an earth-shattering migraine right now, but I must forge on! I might as well give you a hint for this chapter, too, even though this one came the day after the last. Here it is: The movie is only one word long, and starts with the letter "M". Come on, someone figure it out! In this instalment I'm hoping to get some humour out of this story.

Disclaimer: Three mistrials later, I still don't own Digimon. I need to get a better lawyer.

Well, last time, a strange young man had shown up at Kyoto Academy, and is trying to become a music teacher - something the academy has never had. Will he succeed in obtaining the job? Is he strong enough to match wits with Mr. Takenouchi? To find out, all you can do is read on...

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"Impressive, Mr. Ishi. You have managed to gain interest in this many students on your first day alone." Mr. Takenouchi said while looking at a long sheet of student signatures.

"Thank you, sir. How many more do you think I would need to get for me to acquire the job?" Matt questioned.

"From what I can see, Mr. Ishi, you have enough for a class. It seems that you have held up your end of the bargain. Being a man of my word, I hereby welcome you to the teaching faculty here at Kyoto Academy." The dean stated as he finally extended his hand toward Matt, which he shook graciously. Dean Takenouchi handed a sheet of paper to Matt with a pen. "This is your contract. Read it carefully, and then sign it." Matt did as he was told and scanned the writing thoroughly. After signing his name, he was told to keep it for reference, so he put it away in his briefcase. The dean spoke again. "Remember this, Mr. Ishi, you are very fortunate to have gained this new career of yours. This school has run on its founding principles for decades now, and does not require change in its system. I don't like changes, Mr. Ishi." With that, Matt was dismissed from the office.

Only a week had passed, but Matt was becoming rather respected at the academy. His passion for music made the course very enjoyable. He had decided to set up his classroom in the giant gazebo outside (while the temperature was fair outside) for a less restricted environment than the confines of a classroom. The school had funded the acquisition of instruments for the sake of the class, to which Matt was grateful. Each day when it was time for music, he would always see a horde of smiling faces before him. He was glad that he could brighten up their stressed lives with something enriching that Mr. Takenouchi actually approved of. Meanwhile...

At the all-girl college, Mrs. Hida was busying herself with some office work while waiting for one of her students to arrive. She was _far_ more lenient on her students compared to Mr. Takenouchi next door. At the college, she wasn't considered to be a scary authority figure, but was more like a big sister - one of the girls, and someone they could trust. There was a knock at her door, to which she bid the young lady to come in. The door was opened quietly, and a familiar form peered into the room. She nudged her large glasses closer to her face to prevent them from falling, and slowly entered.

"You called for me, Mrs. Hida?" The girl asked.

"Yes I did Yolei. Your cousin Koji is here to see you. I'm guessing you might not have met before, because he didn't seem to know your name. However, he gave a pretty accurate description of what you looked like, so I'm guessing he's the real deal. Normally I don't like visitors coming to the school without calling ahead of time, but I decided to let it slide this time. See that it doesn't happen again, my dear. He's just outside in the waiting room." Mrs. Hida said. Yolei was completely at a loss for words. She did not have a cousin by the name of Koji, but rather than making a scene with Mrs. Hida, she decided to handle it herself. Sometimes her principal could be too trusting.

"I'm sorry ma'am, it won't happen again." She assured her principal. She then headed off to the waiting room to see who it really was. Her look of curiosity faded from her face and turned into a murderous rage as she gazed upon who disturbed her from class. "YOU!" she hissed.

"Cousin Yolei, how nice to see you again!" shouted Ken in a giddy tone. He had figured out her name from the P.A. system when she was called down. Ken then gestured to the giant window that allowed Mrs. Hida a very good view of what went on in the waiting room. "You had better hug your "cousin", before I get you in trouble with your principal, by telling her you were sneaking around Kyoto Academy." He whispered. She knew very well that he was capable of doing so, so she reluctantly complied. "Have a seat, my dear." He said. Yolei started to back away, but Ken had this instance well planned. "Mrs. Hida!" He cried out in a happy tone. She quickly hushed him and sat down like she was told. If only her principal wasn't in the vicinity, what horrors she would do to him! Her anger was barely being constrained. Thankfully she had enough resolve to keep her emotions in check. Ken began to speak again. "Well for a long time now, you have been on my mind and in my dreams. I'm sure that I have been in your dreams, too. So why should we just sit on the sidelines just dreaming when we can seize this chance to get to know each other? Meet me on Rose Day at Lorrie's Cafe, what do you say?"

"Never!" Yolei said in a disgusted tone. However, Ken did not falter.

"Never." He chuckled. "Oh Mrs. Hida!"

"All right, all right! I'll meet you there." Yolei pleaded, defeated.

"How sweet!" Ken chirped. He figured he should take his leave now. "Now let's go say goodbye to Mrs. Hida!" All Yolei could manage was a frustrated grunt as she was "escorted" back into the office. Elsewhere...

Izzy made his way through the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. He found himself in the area of the town that housed the central fountain. It was nice to take a break from studying so that he could enjoy simpler things like taking a walk throughout town. He took a good look around. There were several children playing about a balloon vendor. He looked closer and saw someone who wasn't so young purchasing a large bunch of them. He walked a few feet closer to get a good look at who it was. When he saw the person, his heart skipped several beats. It was her, the girl at the train station, except now she wore a bright smile on her face, and was wearing normal clothing. After she had paid for the balloons, the girl then headed off. Izzy knew that this would be a good opportunity to get acquainted with the girl, so he followed her.

After walking for about ten minutes, he saw that they were headed towards the hospital. Izzy figured the balloons were "get well" presents to someone she knew. Izzy kept his distance, so that he would not be noticed. As she entered the hospital, she took a left turn from the front lobby. When Izzy looked at the sign on the wall, it declared that she was going to the children's ward. He peered in the room, through the glass on the door. Inside he saw several children laughing as they received balloons from the girl. She appeared to be laughing, too. Izzy pondered on how he could start a conversation with the lady. At that point he noticed that the glass on the door was broken, he looked down to see a baseball at his feet, which answered why the glass had shattered. He noticed that the edge on the door was rather sharp. That was it! Izzy carefully cut his hand with the broken glass on the door. He made a fake yell that caught the girl's attention. She had a worried look on her face as she saw Izzy's folly. She gestured him to come in as she fetched the first aid kit. As she was wrapping his hand, Izzy saw an opening.

"Do you work here, miss?" He asked.

"No, actually. My father built this hospital, so they allow me to come in now and then to play with the children, which is great because they really need cheering up sometimes." She responded. "You really should watch out for yourself, this is a pretty bad cut." Izzy just looked at her sheepishly. After she patched him up, she put back the kit and turned back at him. "Well I have to go, I have to start preparing dinner." She hurriedly left the room before Izzy could even come up with something else to say. He was disappointed that his plan didn't go perfectly, but at least he knew where he could find her from time to time. Then he got another thought. With lightning speed, he was out the hospital doors, and headed towards the town station.

When he arrived he saw just the person he wanted to see, the stationmaster. If anyone would have information on the shy girl, it would be him. Surely he had noticed the young lady several times looking at the trains. The stationmaster, Yamaki, remembered Izzy from when he was last there, so he said hello. Izzy stopped him and started posing some questions.

"I'm here to talk to you about that girl who was waiting by the trains. What do you know about her?" Izzy asked.

"From what I have heard, her story is a tragic one." Yamaki paused for a second to compose his thoughts. "Her name is Mimi, for starters. One year ago when she was eighteen, she was married to a young med student who went by the name Joe Kido. Fate would not allow them to be happy though, for the day after the marriage, he was called to help with a viral outbreak in Africa. They were short on willing doctors, but Joe happily volunteered. He was the kind of person you could always count on, very reliable indeed. He boarded the plane after saying 'I love you' to his new wife. Those were the last words that she heard from him. The plane that Joe was on, crashed somewhere in the Indian Ocean. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. However, his body was never found. Mimi and the Kido's were devastated to say the least, but they never came to the conclusion that he died. Even now, Mimi helps around the Kido residence as if she was just a regular housewife. Almost every night, she comes to this station, dressed in her bridal gown - slightly modified, hoping that her husband will arrive, but she knows as much as anyone else in her heart that he isn't coming back." Izzy was completely stupefied. He was also rather ashamed of himself for trying to hit on a girl who was still recovering from the loss of a husband, and what made him feel real bad is the fact that she could not accept it. For him, the best course of action seemed to be to bring the girl happiness once more. The prospects of love would have to wait, if they were even possible at all, that is. Meanwhile...

TK rang the doorbell at the address given to him by Kari. When she opened the door, she could not help but scream again, since she still could not believe that her oldest friend had accidentally walked back into her life. TK nervously smiled at this. He noticed that Kari was wearing make-up again, as well as designer clothes, and stylized hair. TK was wondering when Kari developed this newfound fashion sense, since she never went through the process of getting dressed-up when he knew her. He quickly dismissed the thought and came in.

"I didn't tell Tai or dad that I had come across you, so this should be a pleasant surprise for them!" Kari whispered. TK thought this was a fun idea, so he played along. He noticed that the two Kamiya men were pre-occupied with a baseball game on television. TK noticed how Tai had grown, from what he could manage to see, he had grown up quite a bit. However, he still had that wild, untamed hair that TK always associated him with. TK noted that he discarded the goofy-looking goggles that branded his forehead those eight years ago. Mr. Kamiya was almost as he had pictured he would be: about the same, with several grey hairs, and a hairline that threatened to go higher. Kari cleared her throat, which got her family's attention off the TV and onto her and TK. Kari spoke again. "Guys, do you remember who this is?" Both men shook there heads with no clue as to who it may be.

"Should I be offended then?" TK said, with a smirk, while pretending to be hurt. "It's me, TK!" When the shock had washed over the two, they bolted to the boy. Mr. Kamiya won the race, and was first to offer a big hug. TK was completely caught off guard. "It's good to see you, too!" He said half-laughing, half-suffocating. Kari's father let him go. Tai shook hands with him, but could not resist giving him a light, friendly hug.

"It's been too long, TK, this is a nice surprise to see you here all of a sudden." Tai said after letting him go.

TK, after taking a deep breath spoke once more. "I've missed you all as well, and I'm sorry about Mrs. Kamiya. I didn't know until-"

"Think nothing of it, TK." Tai interrupted. "All of us have moved on. My mother would want us to be happy, so I'm guessing that's why she sent you to us." He said earnestly. TK blushed at being thought of as a godsend.

Catching up took several hours for TK and the Kamiya guys. Kari was a little annoyed at her family after an hour, because she wanted some time for TK and her to catch up on their own without Tai's teasing and her father's lame jokes. At a point, she excused TK and herself from the family room. Tai made another remark that TK didn't catch, but obviously Kari had, considering that she was blushing and yelling at him to shut up. Both youths made their way to the porch at the front of the house. While Kari was going through what had happened to her from the time she moved to now; TK found himself tuned out of the conversation. He could not help but admire his dear friend. Truly it was love that was seeping into his heart. He smiled dreamily as he imagined his lips gently brushing up against hers...

"TK, are you listening to me!" Kari said, snapping him out of his trance. She made a fake pout; something that she always did when they were little kids. TK couldn't help but laugh. He assured her that he was listening as he stared at his watch. He jumped from the porch with a jolt. "What's wrong, TK?" Kari asked inquisitively.

"It's half-past nine! If I don't leave now, then I will be late for curfew!" TK said quickly. Kari frowned at this, but knew that he had to go. "Well, how about this. I'll come over every weekend, and we can do whatever we want." He proposed.

"That would be great, TK! I'll see you next week, I guess." Kari questioned. TK nodded to confirm, and he was off. Kari waited until he was out of site before she came inside. A weird thought went through her head, which she shook shortly afterwards to dismiss.

The following morning, Mr. Takenouchi was in his office, working as usual. He had just finished some notes for a future interview with the government. He got up from his desk to stretch his limbs and decided to take a brief walk along the school compounds. He was just fetching his coat when a gentle knock at the door was heard. He bid the person to enter. Matt came in with a nervous feeling about him. Or was it fear?

"Sir, I have something that I need to bring to your attention." He said.

"What is it, Mr. Ishi?" The dean asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Well, sir, one my students, Takeru Takaishi, is in a bit of financial trouble. His mother lives alone and sends as much money as she can to support her son, but it isn't quite enough. Takeru was wondering if he could get a part-time job to help with his fees." Matt explained as they stepped out of the office. TK was waiting on the outside. The dean paused in order to think the proposal over. Both Matt and TK looked at him, hoping that he would consent.

"Such a circumstance has never occurred with a student at this school." Takenouchi said. It looked as if all hope would be lost for TK. "Can you be back by curfew?" He asked. TK's face lit up.

"Yes I can, sir." He said with an assuring tone.

"Very well then, I consent." Said the dean as he started walking away.

Matt called out to him. "Thank-"

"I don't like changes, Mr. Ishi." Dean Takenouchi yelled back.

"I know, sir." Matt said quietly to himself. He looked back to TK and smiled at the look of gratitude on the boy's face.

Lorrie was a rather eccentric man in his thirties, he always wore some sort of flashy outfit whenever he was at work - a cafe of the same name. He only did this to impress one person in particular, a woman around the same age as him whom he knew to be Ms. Asagi. He always tried to hit on her, but she always found some way to make him back off. Usually it was by force. Lorrie received an employee that day, and he was glad to have him on board as soon as possible. TK was glad to be able to work there as soon as possible himself. This way he would be able to help pay for school, and maybe save some for potential dates with Kari. The day he joined was rather busy, but he understood his duties very quickly, which impressed Lorrie. The reason for the sudden surge of activity was confusing to TK, but Lorrie told him that it was Rose Day.

"What in the world _is_ Rose Day, Lorrie?" TK asked.

"It's quite simple, my dear boy." Lorrie explained, while in some sort of daze. "Rose Day is something this small town of ours celebrates on its own. What happens is that you give a yellow rose to your good friends, and you give a red rose to your true love." Lorrie then handed some small roses of both colours to TK to sell. TK put them in the pouch of his work uniform, right at his waist. He noticed Lorrie staring at someone. Lorrie then grabbed one of the roses from TK's pouch and headed towards the woman. She had brown, shoulder-length hair, and a rather cross look on her face, which she quickly covered up when she saw Lorrie approaching. One of Lorrie's friends intercepted him before he got to Ms. Asagi.

"Lorrie are you nuts! The last time you approached her, you left with her shoe in your mouth! What makes you think you can get through to her?!" The man said. Lorrie didn't stop to hear him out. He just kept on walking. When he was face-to-face with her, he cleared his throat.

"Ms. Asagi, do you know that every time I see you, something happens to me?" Lorrie said. What happened next was odd to him. She started acting coy.

"Really, something happens to you? Where does it happen?" She asked playfully. Lorrie was starting to get confident. He was finally wearing her down!

"Something happens to me right here." He said, while he motioned his hand over his heart.

"It's funny you should say that, Lorrie, something happens to me to." She replied in the same tone.

"Where's that?" Lorrie questioned.

"Right here." Ms. Asagi said as she pointed to the palm of her hand. At that instant, Lorrie remembered getting a hard slap across the side of his face from Ms. Asagi a while ago. He quickly put his hand up to his cheek as if he had been slapped again, remembering the pain. "Did you remember something?" She asked.

"Yes." Lorrie said, lowly.

"So does something happen in your heart?" Ms. Asagi inquired.

"No." He said, defeated.

"Very good!" She said, now removing her mask of shyness, thus showing her rage. "Now I don't want you bothering me again! Eat sugar and die!" She fumed. With that, she stormed away. That last phrase was something she used a lot. The first time they met, he was eating chocolate. Quite a lot of chocolate at that. When he hit on her, she was absolutely repulsed at the chocolate that still stained his teeth. It was the most terrible first impression that he could ever make. She used that expression as she slapped him, and she has been using it ever since.

Ken chuckled at Lorrie's failed attempt. He was drinking a Coke when Yolei walked up to him with some of her friends behind her. Ken was about to say hello, but she pulled a classic Asagi by striking Ken across his face.

"That is for having the nerve to interrupt me at my school!" She screamed. "Do you think that I would date someone as cocky as you are?! I don't want to see you ever again!"

"But he is kind of cute, Yolei." One of her friends whispered. Yolei quickly hushed her and went right back to reprimanding Ken. The poor boy tried to plead his case.

"But Yolei, I only did that to get to know you better, it was the only way I could get close to you. I really do want the chance to get acquainted." He begged.

"Forget it! You nearly got me in trouble with Mrs. Hida." She yelled. "As far as I'm concerned, this conversation is over! et's go, girls." With that, Yolei and her group left a rather speechless Ken in their dust.

All TK did was shake his head at the pitiful scene. He went back to his duties: taking orders, waiting on tables, and selling roses. He was hoping he would see Kari today, that maybe he could reveal his true feelings for her by giving her a red rose. Then, as if on cue, he saw Kari walking by the fountain close by. He quickly took a red rose from his pouch and hid it behind his back. He waved and called out to Kari to talk to him. Kari noticed him, and started walking closer. They were just about fifteen feet away from each other when out of nowhere, a sleek, silver Porsche stopped in between them. Out of the car jumped a boy about their age, with spiky brown hair, and a mischievous grin. TK was bewildered. Kari looked at the young man and frowned.

"You're late Davis!" She chided.

"I know, baby, but I was out getting you a present." Davis replied as he pulled a large bouquet of red, long-stem roses. She smiled as she accepted the present.

"Come with me, Davis, I want you to meet someone." She said as she took Davis' hand and approached TK. Kari then proceeded to introduce the boy. "Davis, this is TK, my oldest and dearest friend. He just recently came to town. He goes to Kyoto Academy." She then looked at TK. "TK, this is Davis, we've been a couple for about two years. He is the love of my life." With that final sentence, TK's wishes and hopes came crashing down. He had no strength left in his body to hold onto the rose, which was hugely insignificant compared to the bouquet that was offered to her. So the flower just fell from his hand and landed on the ground. The only thing he could do within his power, was hold back the tears that were begging to be released. Kari thought she something odd when looking at TK, but he quickly put on a smile afterwards. Davis was not really impressed by TK, and was a bit jealous. So he decided to taunt him a bit.

"So what's with that stupid outfit you're wearing." He jeered.

"I work here, actually. This is what I have to wear." TK said, with a serious tone.

"Davis, be nice!" She told him. Then she looked back at TK. "Sorry, for cutting this meeting short, but me and Dai are going on a date." The pain within TK was indescribable. His world was virtually ending. However, TK managed to retain his composure.

"Kari, are you happy with Davis?" TK asked concerned, with a bit of hope still clinging to him.

"I am, TK, thanks for being concerned." She said, while kissing him on the cheek. Before she left, TK stopped her.

"Before I forget, happy Rose Day, Kari." Replied TK, as he pulled a yellow rose from his pouch and handed to Kari.

"Thank you, TK. I'll talk to you later then. Bye!" Kari said in a cheerful tone. TK watched her climb into Davis' car. They rushed away to their date, unaware that TK's heart had shattered, with little chance to collect the pieces to re-assemble it. It was rather late, so TK figured it was time to head back to school.

It was now TK's turn to chance upon his two friends at the big gazebo. I appeared that they were talking about their own girl troubles. Ken and Izzy noticed that TK had a very solemn expression on his face. This was bizarre, because TK was normally the most cheerful of the three. They asked him what was wrong.

"It's Kari, she has a boyfriend, whom she loves." He said hesitantly. His friends put on sympathetic facial expressions. "I guess I will just have to forget about her. It's the best course of action for me now." The deep pain in his voice was evident.

From the shadows, a figure approached while applauding. It was Matt.

"Excellent, just excellent!" He said. "The one you love didn't love you back, so you decide to try and forget her. Brilliant!" The boys were bemused. Matt continued. "Just because she doesn't love you in the way you want her to, it doesn't mean that your feelings have changed, have they?" TK thought for a bit, then slowly shook his head. "There are always trials in life, you can't just run away from them. They are a part of life for a reason."

"Sir, with all due respect, how would you know about all this? Did you ever love someone." TK questioned.

"Yes I did, TK, and I still do." Matt replied.

"Well it seems that you have had a happy ending. I wish I had your luck in life." TK groaned. Matt looked at the boy with a very serious and determined expression.

"I would never wish upon anyone what has happened to me." He said. "The one I loved died some time ago." TK, at that point, was sorry for being so insensitive. "However, I still love her as I did when she was alive. Whenever I close my eyes, I envision her by my side. She is always there to comfort me and support me. So don't give up on your emotions, always let them guide you." Matt then looked at his watch. "It's getting late, you three better head off to bed before you get in trouble with Mr. Takenouchi." The boys complied and retired to their room, deep in thought. Matt was by himself in the gazebo. He then closed his eyes.

_When he opened them, he was in the presence of his love...his angel. She held his hand reassuringly. Her eyes seemed to sparkle when she gazed into his. Matt smiled contently as he kissed her forehead. The couple then proceeded to take a walk around the grounds._

The next morning, dean Takenouchi was about to leave with a cab to go off to a meeting, when he was stopped by Matt.

"Mr. Ishi, what changes would you like to make today?" He asked cynically. Matt chuckled and presented him with an open box of chocolates.

"Well today is my birthday, sir, would you like some chocolates?" He asked.

"I do not eat sweets, Mr. Ishi." Takenouchi replied.

"Well let me ask you for a favour then." Said Matt. The dean groaned, not surprised one bit. Matt explained himself. "Well the students have been working really hard lately. I thought that a small, tasteful party would be suitable. My music class would supply the entertainment, since I was thinking along the lines of a dance." The dean thought about this carefully.

"Very well, Mr. Ishi, they may have a party." He said. Matt was smiling with thanks.

"One more thing, sir." Said Matt. He had to make this quick before the dean changed his mind out of sheer impatience. "Since there will be a dance. I was wondering if we could invite over Mrs. Hida's girls from next door." The dean then put his foot down.

"No female has ever set foot on Kyoto Academy, and it will stay that way." The dean simply stated.

"Actually sir, I kind of promised them that they would be showing." Matt confessed.

"Well you should not make promises you cannot keep, Mr. Ishi. Now I must be off to attend a meeting. I will not be back until tomorrow morning." Takenouchi told him.

Matt tried to persuade him. "But-" He noticed that the dean was paying him no heed. The old man boarded the taxi and gave the driver instructions. He looked back at Matt.

"I don't like changes." Was the last thing the dean said as the car drove away.

"I know, sir." Matt said quietly to himself. He thought about his current situation carefully.

The main hall was the location decided upon to throw the party. There were decorations everywhere. The band had set up at the head of the room. Everyone was talking amongst themselves. Mostly the subject on their minds was the dance. Suddenly, the doors opened, and there stood Matt. He looked around at everyone, and then looked behind him. The boys smiled as they saw an endless line of young ladies pour into the room. They let out a great cheer of gratitude.

The boys were having a wonderful time. Mr. Ishi smiled evilly as he came behind Mrs. Hida - who was chaperoning - and asked her to dance along to, for fun. Throughout the whole dance, however, TK and Izzy were off by themselves, deep in thought. Poor Ken was trying to reason with Yolei, but was getting nowhere. Cody was also a little annoyed that his mother was watching over him like a hawk, but was having fun nonetheless. They were so caught up in the music, that none of them noticed when the doors opened, revealing a stunned Dean Takenouchi, who had apparently came back from a cancelled appointment. The commotion in the room went dead.

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To be continued...

What a climactic ending, eh? I must be a real jerk for putting so many characters in such misery. :(

Well, let's hope that Matt doesn't get fired for his disobedience! More on the story next weekend. Review and share your thoughts.


	5. Reflections

It's that time again! Yes, it's time for another update; and with an update comes a clue. Today's hint is: the movie is very recent, and has many stars that hail from the hit Indian movie, _Kuch Kuch Hota Hai_. I'm guessing that many people have seen that one, since it's the most famous. This is also your _last_ hint, because in the next chapter (which is also the final one), I will reveal the name of the film. However, with tests going on and such, I am not sure if I will be able to update next week. :( Only time will tell how quickly I can get the final piece up. So make a guess now before it's too late and I post the answer. Also, whenever you see _italic_ text, it means that a character is going through a dream/vision/flashback type sequence like the one Matt went through previously when he envisioned his love..

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon...but I have some seeds. Do you want to buy some seeds? *silence* Awwwww.

When we last left our characters, Izzy, TK, and Ken learned of some unfortunate circumstance that has condemned them to not be loved in return. Also, Matt has disobeyed Dean Takenouchi after a strict warning. What will his fate be, and why isn't he using his real name? Find out today!

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After the previous night's fiasco, Matt was told to meet the dean the following morning in his office immediately. Matt could sense what was coming, but he did not show any signs of fear. He was walking down the hall and was only a few feet away from the main office door, when he was stopped by TK, Ken, and Izzy in the hall.

"What can I do for you boys?" Matt asked.

"We want to apologize again for being so inconsiderate the other night when you told us what happened to your true love." TK replied.

"Don't be sorry, boys, I'm not." Matt said with a distant look, and a smile on his face. "I did not fall in love with her on the condition that she would live longer than me. There are no conditions in love, so there shouldn't be any regrets. So what if today she is not with me, I still love her the same way, not because I can't find someone else to love, but loving her makes me happy. Whenever I miss her, I close my eyes and she is with me." He turned to face TK. "You didn't fall in love with your friend on the condition that she would love you too, so just because she loves someone else, you want to forget her? Don't let go so easily. Love is just like life: it's not always easy, and it doesn't always bring happiness; but when we go on living, why should we stop loving?" Matt snapped out of his trance as the bell rang. "Sorry about the long lecture boys, but you had better get to class before you end up in trouble with the dean." The three excused themselves and left for class. Matt continued onto Takenouchi's office. He opened the door and saw the dean with his back turned, staring out the window.

"Do you know, Mr. Ishi, there has never been any parties thrown here at Kyoto Academy?" The dean stated.

"Why is that, sir?" Matt asked.

"Simply because, no one ever asked, I was never really against the idea, but yesterday told me otherwise. The students respected the image of the school and myself before you made your suggestions." Takenouchi responded.

"Well, sir, the students never asked before because they are afraid of you." Matt told him.

"Are you afraid of me, Mr. Ishi?" The dean questioned.

"No sir, I have never been scared about doing the right thing, so long as I know I am not asking for anything wrong, I am not scared." Matt replied. A crack of thunder was heard outside as a downpour of rain started to fall. The dean finally turned to face Matt.

"I'm afraid you will have to leave, Mr. Ishi." Takenouchi simply stated. "I am so sorry this had to happen, because I was just starting to like you. I thought that in spite of your different ideas, and non-traditional methods, you could become an important part of this academy...but I was wrong. My first instinct about you was correct. You are an arrogant and undisciplined, young man; and we do not need people like you here. I want your resignation on my table by this afternoon." Matt just quietly laughed. The dean was puzzled at this. "Why the sniggering, Mr. Ishi?" He asked.

"I'm sorry, sir. Until today, I had a great deal of respect for you. I thought you were a very intelligent and sharp man - a man who would never miss anything, but I am afraid I am disappointed." Said Matt.

"What are you trying to say, Mr. Ishi?" The dean inquired.

"Do you remember, sir, when I first came here for the job, I told you my name - Matt Ishi. Today, I am going to tell you my true name." Matt said seriously. "Mr. Takenouchi, my full name is Yamato Ishida." Another crash of thunder was heard as the dean's face went pale. Matt nodded at him to silently confirm his worst fear, and then turned _his_ back to the dean.. "Yes, the same Yamato Ishida who dared to fall in love with your daughter; the same Yamato Ishida, whom your daughter loved very much; the same Yamato Ishida you hated so much that you threw him out of Kyoto Academy, without even seeing his face, without even giving him a chance to meet you, without hearing what he had to say! I am the same Yamato Ishida who could not get into any other educational institution, who could not get a decent job anywhere, but worked on his own. Yet today, the country's most prestigious college has employed him. Yes, sir, the same man who planned to destroy me, has welcomed me with open arms." Matt turned back to face him. "As far as my resignation goes, I am sorry, I cannot." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar sheet of paper. "I have here a contract in my hand, which clearly states that I '...cannot leave or be fired until the end of the term.' - signed Dean Takenouchi. Sir, by the time the term is over, I promise you this academy will not be the same. I loved only one woman all my life, and I will love her forever. She gave up her life for you, believing that it would make you kinder, and bring love into this place - that everything would change. You denied me of my only love; this is a truth I will have to live with all my life. However, there is one truth I cannot live with." Matt's voice started cracking as he was on the verge of tears, but he regained his stature and kept his emotions in check. "That is the fact that the girl I loved died in vain. The fact that nothing has changed here, that I cannot bear to live with." He stepped a bit back from his antagonist and spoke with a strong will. "I promise you, Mr. Takenouchi, by the time I leave, I will fill this place up with so much love, that it would take you ten lifetimes to remove it! What happened to me and Sora will not happen to anyone else - this I promise!" With that, Matt left the dean's office and moved quickly through the hall. With a bitter feeling about him.

_A hand met his as he walked. He turned his head to look at his love...to look at Sora. She smiled back at him in support. With her other hand, she caressed his cheek and whispered to him._

_"__The world is full of hate, even then hearts will desire. Even if they die, the ones who love...their love will stay alive ."_

The dean watched as Matt walked out of sight, with Matt's speech and promise etched in his brain.

After school that day, TK was invited over to Kari's house. They were snacking on some chips in the kitchen when suddenly, Kari's father stepped into the room wearing a rather flashy, yet tacky outfit. Kari was appalled.

"Dad, what are you wearing?!" She cried.

"Well today is my date, and I wanted to look my best!" He replied.

"That outfit is ancient, it's over twenty-years-old!" Kari declared.

"What are you talking about? Your mother liked it." Mr. Kamiya debated. He began to whistle and dance as he headed out the door. TK chuckled at this, but Kari was not amused.

"Dad, you're looking very stupid! Don't you dare step out that door!" She yelled. She caught TK and her father off guard with that comment. The young boy dropped the bag of chips he was eating, and her father looked down at the floor in shame. Kari shook her head, and came over to where her father was standing. She instructed him to take off the bright jacket. She then replaced it with a sensible, black vest. "There's my daddy - cute, smart, and charming!" She beamed. Kari then went right up to his face and whispered to him ever-so gently. "She should love you the way you are, not the way she wants you to be. If someone tries to change you, then it's not love, but a compromise; and darling, one does not compromise in love, right?"

"Right." Her father concurred while smiling. He went out the door with both teens chuckling at his enthusiasm. Meanwhile...

At the town's main fountain, Izzy had once again spotted Mimi. He approached her with a big grin plastered on his face. She smiled back at him more conservatively. She hoped that the poor boy hadn't injured himself again.

"I hope you won't get mad, but the other day, I found out a lot about yourself. I found out why you go to the train yard, and what happened to your husband. From what I heard, I have come to see you as a strong person. I would like nothing else than to be your friend." Mimi blushed at this. Normally she never heard compliments directed at her. She hesitated when he held out his hand. She found it somewhat awkward to be friends with a male after the death of her husband. Then she thought about why it would be wrong to be friends with him. She found no argument and accepted the handshake. Izzy was beyond happy. "Now for an official introduction. Hi, I'm Izzy, and you are?" Mimi played along.

"I'm Mimi, it's nice to meet you, my friend."

The rain continued to fall the whole day, which was turning out to be a rather miserable one. The dean still had Matt's words on his mind as he found himself walking into the school's main hall. When he reached the podium where he gave addresses to the students several times, he sat down to think - to remember. (A/N: cue the flashback!)

_He could hear singing as he walked down the stairs to his family room. As he opened the door, the giant picture of himself, his daughter, and his late wife greeted him as it did always. He turned to see his daughter tending to some chores while humming a tune. She turned to look at him, and smiled. There was such a glimmer in her eyes. Always were they bursting with life and love._

_"Good morning, dad!" Sora said. He smiled back at her and went to sit down. "Today's newspaper and your tea are next to your chair. I had made the tea ten minutes ago, so it is already cold, just the way you like it. I'm leaving early today to run some errands, but your breakfast has already been made. I'm just about finished ironing your clothes - and by the way, today is my birthday, so you can wish me a happy one if you want." Takenouchi slouched back in his chair and sighed at his own negligence._

_"I've forgotten again! Come here." He called. She walked over to where he was now sitting. He took her hands in his and apologized, to which she forgave instantly. "I must be the world's worst father."_

_"No, not at all." Sora refuted. "I think you are the best father in the world." He kissed her gently on her forehead._

_"Happy birthday, my dear." He said. "I pray that you get everything you ever want, and that all your dreams come true."_

Takenouchi recalled another fond time with his daughter...

_She was trying on her mother's bridal gown over her own clothes as he entered the room. He smiled as he came over to help adjust the clothes so it would look just right._

_"I think you even prettier than your mom was when she wore this." He stated. She blushed at this, and began to take off the outfit. "You have always been dressing up as a bride your entire life. Perhaps its time we get you married" He teased._

_"Stop it, dad!" Sora whined._

_"What?" Her father asked, clueless._ _Just then the phone rang. When Sora answered it, she looked back at her father and then asked the person to call back at a later time. She then hung up and went back to putting away the gown. "Who was on the phone?" He asked._

_"Just one of my friends, dad. They keep calling and boring me" She replied._

_"Another one?" He questioned. "They seem to call a lot."_

_"You worry too much." She assured him._

The dean now remembered that fateful night...

_He was sitting next to the fireplace, reading the newspaper like he usually did, when his daughter came down the stairs rather slowly. She had a stern expression on her face as she knelt down beside him to talk._

_"I have to apologize to you, dad." She said plainly. He put down his paper and looked at her intently._

_"Apologize? What for?" He asked._

_"Dad, you always told me never to lie, but I've done just that." She began. "That day, when you were in my room and the phone rang, I told you it was one of my friends, but it rally wasn't. It was someone else - it was a boy. A boy whom I've known for a long time - someone who has become much more than a friend; someone who loves me very much - someone who I love very much." Her father had no idea what to say to this new found revelation. She continued with a smile on her face. "I know I should have told you earlier, but I was scared that you would get angry. You have always told me that love leads to pain, but I do not know what it was about him, that I just could not stop myself. When you meet him, you'll realize how different he is...how sweet he is...how true he is. You had hoped that all my dreams would come true. He is my one and only dream, and after this, I do not want anything else." He cut her off._

_"What is his name?" He quietly asked._

_"Yamato...Yamato Ishida." She responded._

_"What does he do?" He questioned._

_"He's a student...at Kyoto Academy." Her father went wide-eyed. The warm smile departed on her face as she was overtaken with fear. "Father, please don't be angry!" He quickly got out of his chair and headed for the door. He looked back at her and saw that shimmer in her eyes. It would be the last time he would witness it. "I love him, dad!" She yelled. He didn't listen and kept on walking. "Dad, I love him!" It was no use, he was out the door within a few seconds. She started sobbing. "I love him..." She spoke to no one in particular. Her eyes started to get somewhat dull in colour._

Takenouchi's mind drifted to the morning afterwards...

_He saw his daughter crouched on the chair on the back porch of the house. It was raining rather hard, but there was a canopy that hung above her to ensure that she would not get drenched. When he stood next to her and looked her in the face, he noticed her usual sparkle was not present there._ _He cleared his throat and began to speak._

_"I have come to tell you that Yamato Ishida has been expelled from Kyoto Academy." He said emotionlessly. She looked back at him with despair "I did not meet him, I do not know what he looks like, and I hope I never do see him. I have sent him somewhere far away from here, and I would like you to forget him. I know that you must be thinking that my decision is cruel and wrong, but I know that this is the best thing for your future." She lowered her head, and was silent._

He remembered that the following few days, life had pretty much gone back to normal. He never like changes. He was happy. However, he was a little saddened at the fact that his daughter didn't regain that twinkle that he found so remarkable. Even though she assured him she was happy, her mood was still questionable. His mind then wandered to that dreadful evening...

_He had come to check up on his daughter. Sora's room was in disarray, she was also not there. When he looked around he finally found her on the balcony, staring out at the stars. She turned to face him. Her expression was very solemn._

_"I'm sorry, father, I tried to forget him. I tried very hard not to think about him - to stop loving him, but I could not. I love you very much, dad and I can never hurt you, but I love him too and I cannot live without him. I hope that someday you will realize that love is very beautiful...even if it comes with a little pain." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, dad, I'm sorry." With that, she unclasped the necklace that he gave her for her birthday, and allowed it to fall to the ground. She held her hand over her heart, looked at him one last time, leaned backwards...and fell to her destiny..._

"SORA!!" Cried Takenouchi, with his arms outstretched. His booming voice bounced off the walls of the main hall and echoed back at him...taunting him. The dean realized where he was after the room became quiet once more.

The following day was quite an improvement on the previous day's weather. Matt came out to his classroom outdoors, only to find the dean standing there. There was no expression on his face as he began to talk to Matt.

"Ever since the day she told me about you, I have hated you." He said. "I hated you so much, I never wanted to see your face or hear your voice. Yet today you are standing in front of me. If I wanted to, I could throw you out of this institution right now, and no piece of paper would stop me, but I'm not going to do that. Now I want you to stay. You have given a 55-year-old man a reason to fight again. I am going to prove all over again, that for 25 years, whatever he stood for and believed in still holds true. You were right about me liking challenges, Mr. Ishida. Continue as you have done, and I will do as I have done for the past 25 years. The foundation of this school is so strong, that no Yamato Ishida, with a guitar in his hands and a smile on his face, will ever dare to walk in here and change things around. Never, Mr. Ishida, never." The dean then left to go about his duties.

"You were right, Sora, your father will be hard to win against. He is strong, but we are no less." Matt said to himself, grinning.

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To be continued...

Well, folks, we're nearing the end of this love story. Aren't you excited, I know I am!

On further notes... In regards to Matt revealing that he was the mysterious young man from the biggest rumour of the academy to Takenouchi - I'm sure you all saw that one coming! The line where Sora says "The world is full of hate, even then hearts will desire. Even if they die, the ones who love...their love will stay alive ." is actually translated from a song in the movie. Plus, I don't plan on killing off any of the characters (besides the already deceased Sora), so don't take Sora's line literally except in her personal case. I find it odd that I would have it as a Sorato (considering I prefer Taiora), but I'm OK with it. I'm less obsessed with Taiora than I am with another couple. Matt fit the role as a music teacher better than Tai did so that's how that works. My apologies to Taiora fans though! In the next chapter, Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching. Can the boys find love? Can Dean Takenouchi learn how to change? You must read on to have your questions answered. I will try to get it up as soon as possible. Remember, the guessing game is over when the next/last chapter comes out, so start making inquiries! Review and share your thoughts.


	6. The Power of Love

Now is the moment you all have been waiting for (besides me shutting up): the end of "Love on a Leaf"! The name of the movie is at the bottom (don't just skip ahead!). _Italic_ text in this chapter will also be used to retell an infamous love story from the mouth of Matt. This chapter just went on and on...my characters talk to much! (so they share something in common with me!) Also, I've made a character chart so that way if you rent the movie, you can make references to my little ditty. Since none of you got it (because of not being resourceful, knowledgeable, or mostly out of sheer laziness), the prize picture (since it _will_ be drawn) will be dedicated to...Cracker, for being so loyal to the fic ever since it was a prologue, up to now. Thank you for taking the initiative and sharing your thoughts, my friend! Of course, there will be a link where you can all see it, but it will be written as a dedication on the actual picture itself. Right now, I have some ideas on what the picture will look like. Congratulations, Cracker, you truly deserve it!

Disclaimer: The plane of reality where I don't own Digimon and the parallel plane of fantasy where I do will never intersect. Perhaps if I cross the basis vectors and get the normal, I.....wait....that won't work! Nuts! (Algeo humour, senior students know what I'm talking about! That is rather pathetic, even my jokes are square!)

Ahem...getting serious again, when we last left the story, the boys were trying to accept that they were not loved in return, even though their feelings remain just as strong (an excellent life lesson). As well, we have found out about who Matt really is in the grand scheme of things (but the students don't know yet). We also learned about Sora's part in the plot. So many discoveries, eh! As well, Dean Takenouchi and Matt have come to a stand off where another challenge has been issued. Who will be the final victor? With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, lots of events can happen, but will they be in the boys' favour? What _is_ the significance of the title of this story? The answers, and the conclusion of the story await you!

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The following morning, the dorm room that contained the three hopeless romantics was filled with the whistling from them. They weren't mimicking any tune in particular, but their melody was harmonious nonetheless. Ken was combing his hair while TK was sorting through his clothes. Izzy had opened the bathroom door after showering, sporting a towel around his neck and a pair of boxer shorts. All of a sudden, the door began to swing open. The boys lined up, fearing it was the dean.

"Good morning, boys." Matt said. There was a great, synchronized sigh that erupted from them as they relaxed. They said hello to their teacher. "Do any of you know how to play the piano?" Matt questioned. Izzy had learned a bit on playing the instrument when he was younger, but felt he was still lacking, so he did not answer. After a brief silence Matt spoke again. "It's OK, it's OK, I just needed someone to teach Dr. Kido's grandson, but never mind, maybe someone else would know." With that Matt left the room and closed the door behind him. The boys went back to what they were doing until something sparked within TK.

"Hey Ken, haven't we heard that name, Kido, before-" TK said. Immediately afterwards, TK and Ken looked at each other and went wide-eyed. They looked at Izzy as he looked back with the same expression. Without hesitation (or proper clothing), Izzy bolted out of the room. He dashed a few feet in the hall hoping that his teacher hadn't gone too far. Then he heard someone whistling the tune that he was whistling a couple of minutes before right behind him. He turned around and saw that his teacher was still next to his room door.

"So would you like to learn how to play the piano well?" Matt asked.

"Well I know how to play a bit, but I would like to perfect my skills." Izzy replied. Matt chuckled.

"Come to my office in ten minutes we have some work to do." Matt responded. "Oh, and do come with clothes on." Izzy then realized what he was (or in reality, wasn't) wearing, and dashed back to his room.

The following week at the Kido residence, Mimi was startled by some piano music. She ran down the stairs from her room and joined the small audience of her father-in-law, Dr. Kido, and her sister-in-law, Jun. At the piano was Izzy playing a beautiful minuet. By his side was Dr. Kido's grandson, Takato. The boy was about nine-years-old, and had a pair of goggles that was worn over his fuzzy, brown hair. When Izzy completed his piece, there was a short applause, to which Izzy blushed.

"Well done Izzy." The old man said, smiling. He looked down at his grandson. "Now Takato, I want you to learn how to play the piano before your father comes back."

"Don't worry, sir." Izzy said reassuringly. "In a month, he'll be playing even better than me."

"Excellent! You two carry on, I'm off to work." The doctor said as he patted the little boy's head. After he had left, Jun dragged Mimi closer for an "introduction".

"Koushiro, before you start again, allow me to introduce you to Mimi, my younger, sister-in-law, Mimi. Mimi, this is Koushiro Izumi, Takato's piano teacher." Jun said. Mimi laughed nervously as they both said hello. "Koushiro, could you teach Mimi along with my son?" She asked. Mimi looked at her with a shocked face. Jun continued. "She loves music, and used to dance, but she doesn't do it anymore."

"Thank goodness she doesn't, I would never get any sleep!" Takato interrupted. Mimi motioned for him to stop teasing. Takato paid her no heed and made a face. Mimi gasped and started chasing the boy around the piano.

"All the best!" Jun said as she left. Izzy quickly grabbed Takato.

"Alright, time out! Takato, could you get me a glass of water?" Izzy asked. The boy nodded and headed for the kitchen. He then turned his attention towards Mimi. "You might be wondering why they're calling me 'Koushiro'. Well that's actually my real name. 'Izzy' is just my nickname, so you can keep calling me that. By the way, where is Takato's father?"

"Jim Kido is a doctor who does complicated surgery overseas, so he's not home that often." Mimi answered.

"You didn't tell me you used to dance." Izzy continued.

"What is there to say? I used to dance, but now I don't." She said.

"Why?" He questioned.

"You ask too many questions." She commented.

"That's because you never answer." Izzy replied. Mimi just giggled.

"Have you come here to teach Takato how to play the piano, or have you come to chat with me?" She asked.

"What do you think?" He asked back. Mimi smiled while shaking her head. Elsewhere...

At the girl's college's gym, Yolei stood with a cross look on her face while she stared at the grinning face of Ken. Mrs. Hida was also there for a discussion. She began.

"Yolei, meet your new dance partner, Ken, not Koji, right?" The principal said. Ken laughed nervously and nodded. He was lucky she was so forgiving. "OK Ken, I want you to know that the dance competition coming in the following month is a matter of prestige for our college and that is why on my request, your music teacher has sent you to help us out. What a wonderful man he is!" She then turned to Yolei. "My dear, I want you two to become friends, and within one month, show me something really spectacular, but no fighting! OK?" Yolei nodded. "Great! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work to attend to." With that she left. Ken still had his wide grin, but Yolei was not amused.

"Wipe that stupid grin off your face; it makes you look even more stupid." She said. "I have been winning this dance competition for the past three years, and I'm not going to end up losing this year because of an idiot like you! So if you don't want to make an even bigger fool out of yourself, leave now, and-" Ken quickly went on his knees, which startled Yolei. He held his hands up in a pleading fashion.

"Please, I have been waiting for this moment my whole life. All I've ever wanted is to be able to dance with you. After this, even if I die, I will have no regrets. Please dance with me. Please, please please!" Ken whined.

"Your sense of humour is just like you - sick and disgusting!" Yolei retorted. She turned around, but was instantly grabbed by Ken. She then found herself in a forceful embrace. She struggled as hard as possible, but it was no use.

"I was rather rude to you the previous time we met, my conscience has been bothering ever since. I'm sorry." He said.

"It's OK." Yolei said quickly, but she was still held tightly.

"Friends?" Ken asked. Yolei nodded and Ken smiled, but he didn't let go.

"Could you possibly let me go?" Yolei asked. Ken complied and released her. She quickly made a face at him, to which Ken laughed out loud.

Back at the school grounds, Matt was taking a brief walk to clear his mind of stress as he chanced upon seeing the dean walk by. He noticed that every student that passed him, bowed as they walked by. He soon found himself within speaking distance to his boss.

"Tell me, sir, is it a rule that they have to bow to you?" Matt questioned.

"I do not force them to do so, they merely bow as a sign of respect." Takenouchi responded.

"They bow to you out of fear, and you mistake their fear as respect, but I-" Matt said.

"You are not scared of me, Mr. Ishida, I know that." The dean interrupted. With that awkward encounter over with, they went their separate ways.

At the Motimiya estate, Davis was throwing a posh pool party. The place was bustling with pop music and countless, happy youths. On one side of the pool Davis was dancing with an unfamiliar girl. When the song was done, Davis jokingly threw the girl into the pool. The laughter roared louder than the music. Kari came out to the porch in a short dress, a matching purse, and had her hair worn up. She looked around with a frown on her face. A waiter appeared in a white suit right next to her with a rather familiar face. Kari looked at him and was shocked.

"TK! What are you doing here?!" She asked, finally smiling.

"Working, what else?" TK responded. "I'm getting paid handsomely, plus I get a chance to witness an infamous Motimiya party. Who would pass up something like that?" Kari shook her head in disbelief and entangled her arm around his. "Kari, what are you doing? This doesn't look good. I'm working here, and this is your boyfriend's party so I'm sure you know these people."

"I don't" Kari whined. "These are all Dai's friends. I don't know them that well." TK got loose of Kari.

"I'm sorry, Kari, but I could get fired, OK?" TK said. Kari tried to protest, but TK quickly went away, and Davis came over and embraced her suddenly.

"Kari, where have you been?" Her boyfriend asked. "Come let me introduce you to everyone." With that, he quickly lifted her up and proceeded to carry her. Kari kept on begging him to put her down, but he would not listen. When they reached the pool, Kari had a good idea of what Davis was planning, and started to scream louder. Davis didn't comply and simply tossed her into the pool.

When Kari surfaced, she shuddered at the cold and brought her arms up close to her body to cover herself up. She was completely drenched, and her boyfriend and his friends were having a good laugh about it. Davis simply didn't care. She was utterly embarrassed, and as such, she started to sob lightly. Davis finally clued in and quieted everyone down. He tried to say sorry and extended his hand so that she could get pulled out, but he was interrupted.

"Daisuke." TK said to stop him. He then took off the jacket portion of his suit and started wading his way toward his humiliated friend. His suit was getting wet, but he didn't care. When he reached Kari, he draped the jacket over her, and helped her out. When he got to the shallow end Davis was there to try to apologize again, but TK stopped him. "Enough, Daisuke, enough." He calmly said as he and Kari left, leaving a rather ashamed Davis behind.

Back at the gym at the girl's college, the aerobics class was in session. Several girls were present in tight spandex. Ken was enjoying this eye-candy in front of him. Yolei, who was standing beside him had a scornful look on her face as she looked at the foolish look on his face. He seemed to be looking at the most popular girl in school, Rika, in particular. The girl's body was well developed and it showed.

"All guys are alike." Yolei snapped. Ken looked back at her with a clueless expression. She sat down right next to him. "You know, boys are really stupid. It's so easy for any girl to grab your attention. All she has to do is dress suggestively, like our dear friend Rika over there, and she's got you wrapped around her little finger. That's all you boys ever think of, right? You never consider the kind of person she is on the inside, do you?"

"You're absolutely right." Ken said smiling. "We never think of such things...never!" He then went back to ogling.

"You're disgusting!" Yolei sneered. Ken saw this and was ready.

"Do you know what your problem is?" He stated. "You are jealous of Rika. Basically you want to be just like her, but you know that's impossible. Let's face it, you do not have what it takes, and that makes you hate her even more. I think you have a big psychological complex that you should really deal with, think about it." Yolei looked at him with pure rage. She grabbed his shirt and brought him in closely for a good verbal beating.

"Listen, Mr. Ken Ichijouji, I am neither jealous, nor do I hate anyone." Yolei scolded. "I am very happy the way I am. As for you precious Rika, I can be like her anytime I wanted to, but she can never be like me - understand!"

"Believe me, Yolei, you can never look like Rika." Ken simply stated.

"Yes I can." Yolei retorted.

"No you can't." Ken shot back.

"Yes I can!" Yolei screamed.

"Can't!" said Ken.

"Can!" Yolei said. The petty bickering continued for about twenty seconds, and was interrupted by Rika.

"Excuse me, Ken, but I'm having trouble with this dance step, can you help me?" Rika asked sweetly. Ken was glad to oblige and was off his seat in a flash. Yolei just sat there with her mouth agape.

Somewhere in the town, two lone figures were walking in the moonlight. One of them was trying to hold back tears. Their pace was considerably slow.

"Why did this happen, TK?" Kari asked as she sniffed. "How could I have made such a big mistake?" They both stopped walking as TK turned to face her.

"Do you really want to know?" TK asked. Kari nodded, yearning to hear. He took the white jacket off that he had placed on her earlier. He motioned his hand to pan up and down his friend, signifying her whole self. "This was your mistake - this is not Hikari Kamiya, this is someone else." He then proceeded to "correct" her mistake. He unfastened her hair clips to let her hair fall naturally, took off her earrings, took away her purse, and tied the jacket around her waist. He backed away, crossed his arms, and looked satisfied. He smiled as he spoke. "This is my Kari - clumsy, messy, cute. You had forgotten yourself when you were with Davis. You had become the way he wanted to see you - that was your mistake." Kari looked down in shame, knowing fully well that TK was correct. He went closer and lifted her chin with his finger. His gaze penetrated her soul. "He should love you for who you are and not for what he wants you to be. 'If someone tries to change you then it is not love, but a compromise - and darling, one does not compromise in love.' You forgot your own rule. Let's go." He started to walk, but she stopped him.

"TK...can you hold me in your arms, please?" She asked quietly. He nodded. Kari slowly embraced her best friend. She started crying as she thanked him for being such a good friend to her. A brisk wind blew by and picked up several leaves along the way that brushed along their legs. TK was feeling a true sense of peace. He was overjoyed that he had been able to help his friend. They remained in each others arms until it started to rain. TK walked her home and went back to his school.

The following week at the Kido residence, the family was preparing to go out to have dinner with a family friend. Mimi had once again refused to go. Jun was rather concerned about her sister-in-law. She never went out anymore, and shut herself off from the outside world. Luckily though, it meant that she could watch over Takato, who seemed to bring her a lot of joy in her otherwise dismal life. She was in her room at the time staring at her wedding band, which still clung to her ring finger. All of a sudden, Izzy appeared from right behind her door. Needless to say, Mimi was rather startled.

"What are you doing here?!" Mimi gasped. "You could get into a lot of trouble if someone found you here."

"Relax!" Izzy said, coolly. "I'll go on one condition - I would like to share a dance with you." Mimi shook her head and was backing away, until Izzy stopped her by grabbing her arm. "You can't say 'no', it's the first rule of friendship." Mimi lowered her head, not sure of what to do. Izzy tried to explain himself. "Look, I just wanted to make my friend happy, so I thought dancing would be the best method. I'm sure you never forgot how to dance. If you want to make me happy, you'll come out to the terrace to dance."

"Why are you doing all this, Izzy?" Mimi asked.

"Well there is a friend of mine who is scared to be happy. I want to show her how easy it is to be happy." Izzy stated with a wide grin on his face. He walked out to the balcony to wait. His smile greatened when Mimi finally stepped out in a beautiful gown and a smile on her face. Izzy pressed play on a portable stereo that he had brought with him. A classical melody resonated from the device. Mimi gently took his arm, and they began to dance. It was a gorgeous evening. The sky exploded with millions upon millions of sparkling stars. A small breeze blew across the balcony and littered the floor with several leaves. The dance seemed too short for Izzy, as he noticed that it was getting rather late. He excused himself and was thanked by Mimi for such a wonderful night. He waved good-bye and left for the academy. 

The next evening, Ken was at Yolei's college once again for dance lessons. He was packing up to leave when the outside doors flung open. A barrage of leaves flew in with the incoming draft. A lone figure stood at the doors with a black cloak covering herself. Yolei looked different than usual. She styled her hair nicely and wasn't wearing her glasses. Ken could not help, but stare at the rare sight before him. With a sudden move, Yolei dropped the cloak, revealing a short dress, which caused Ken to smile. He caught on to what she was doing and pressed play on the principal's cassette player. The dance music that Ken had been using to practise began playing. It had a lively beat and a lot of base. Ken approached her, took her hand, and began their usual dance routine. It appeared like they were just going through a simple run of their steps, but there was something else present. There was more passion to the dance than before - more feeling and depth. Ken finally looked at his watch after a while and noticed that he was about to break curfew. He rushed out of the building leaving a rather confused Yolei in his wake.

At the gazebo in front of the school, Matt was gazing at the stars. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes...

_Sora came up to him and embraced him. Matt held on to her tightly. She brought her lips beside his ear and whispered to him very gently._

_"You won, their love stories are beginning, you won." Sora said as she lost herself in his crystal blue eyes. Matt brushed away a strand of stray hair away from her face and caressed her cheek softly._

_"We won, my love." He whispered back tenderly._

When Ken got back to school, it was past curfew and the lights were turned out. However, Ken was filled with too much joy to care. He danced his way to his room. When he got to the door, the lights started coming on for some reason. He looked at the end of the hall and was petrified when he saw a displeased Dean Takenouchi looking right back at him. The old man approached him. Ken gulped as he awaited the inevitable.

"What is your name?" The dean asked.

"K-K-Ken, sir." The teen stuttered in fear.

"Are you aware of the rules of Kyoto Academy?" Takenouchi questioned. Ken nodded silently. "So you know that you have broken one of the rules...and that you can be expelled for it." Ken nodded again with greater fear apparent in his eyes. "So tell me, Ken, what is the reason for your carelessness?"

"Well, I was - I was-" Ken stuttered once again. A voice interrupted his poor excuse of a sentence.

"Ken!" Matt yelled from across the hall. He was reading a newspaper and was looking rather calm. Both Ken and the dean turned around. "Ken, did you reach the station on time?" Ken was clueless. He didn't go to the station today, and there was no reason why he should have. "Did the stationmaster accept the parcel I gave you?" Ken was finally up to speed as he caught on to the deception.

"Yes sir, he accepted it." Ken said.

"Great! Thanks for doing this favour. Now go to bed, it's very late." Matt shot back. Ken took his opening, nodded, and crept away. "You should also go to bed, sir, it's very late. Good night, sir" Matt called to his boss as he left. The dean did not look too pleased as he took his leave.

In the morning, the students at the school were called to the main hall for a special announcement from the dean. They formed their rows. Matt appeared right behind the mass at the division in the crowd with his arms crossed. The dean then showed himself after they had organized themselves.

"I have called all of you here because I have found out that a few students are trying to break the discipline of this academy." The dean stated. TK, Izzy, and Ken gulped in unison. "Some students have been leaving the campus regularly and have not been coming back on time. I would like to remind them that breaking the rules here will not be tolerated. I believe that my silence has been misunderstood to be my weakness. So from today, the gates of this school will be shut at all times. No one will leave the grounds under any circumstances. Anyone caught will be expelled _immediately_. You are dismissed." The students started piling out with their heads lowered. TK, Ken, and Izzy took it even worse as they exited at a slower pace than the rest. Only Matt remained behind with an upset look on his face. The both of them locked eyes.

"Mr Ishida, I know everything that goes on at this school...nothing escapes my eyes." The dean said, ominously. "Those three boys will have to stop going out. There will be no part-time working, no piano lessons, and no dancing. I want you to be the one that breaks this news to them." Matt furrowed his eyebrows.

"Yes, sir." Matt said as he left.

Later on in the day, there was a strong wind blowing. Matt was walking back inside after teaching a class when he saw the dean standing outside, with what looked like a _smile_ on his face - a peculiar event indeed.

"It's nice to see you smiling, Mr. Takenouchi." Matt called out. The dean turned to face him. "It must be a very special day."

"Definitely, Mr. Ishida." Takenouchi replied. "You see, the winds that are blowing right now have been coming from the east for years. Some time back they had changed their direction to the west, but now...they are back to normal. Today everything is back to normal, Mr. Ishida. So it is a very special morning indeed." Matt chuckled.

"Congratulations, Mr. Takenouchi." Matt said. "Even the winds are scared of you. Even they know that you do not like changes. It just shows the power of your fear."

"You were the one who made me aware of that power, Mr. Ishida. You were the one who told me that everyone is afraid of me - that they love you and fear me - right?" The old man asked, rhetorically. "I want you to know something, Mr. Ishida. In the battle of love and fear, the latter will always win."

"Not quite, Mr. Takenouchi." Matt corrected. "Until now, you have only seen the power of fear. You have still not seen the power of love." He picked up a leaf from the ground. "Love can crumble all the bricks of this building with this single leaf alone."

"I would like to see such power, Mr. Ishida." The dean stated sarcastically. "I would really like to see that happen." The dean left to go about his business. Matt stayed put and looked back at him.

"Rest assured, Mr. Takenouchi, you will." He said quietly.

The following day was the 14th of February - Valentine's Day. At the Gazebo, the students were getting ready for music class. They were puzzled when they saw that each copy of sheet music was covered by a single leaf pinned onto their respective stands. The students took the leaves in their hands and were baffled. They looked at each other for an explanation, but it was in vain. Matt approached his spot at the head of the class. He greeted all of his students and was greeted back in return.

"Well today is Valentine's Day - the day of love." Matt said with a smile. "Today I will begin class by telling you a love story. It is a story about a boy, a girl, and a leaf. The boy was like all of you - he was a student at Kyoto Academy. However there was one difference - he was in love. He had decided on that day, that he would tell the girl everything and not worry about the consequences..."

_She was standing at the bus stop with her friends, waiting to leave for a college picnic. The boy had sneaked out of Kyoto Academy, and had come running to see her. He saw her getting onto the bus, and immediately pulled out a pen from his pocket. He tried to find something to write one, but he had nothing. Out of desperation, he picked up a stray leaf from the ground and wrote on it: 'Dear Sora, I love you.'. He then gave it to a kid on the street, and pointed towards the girl. The child ran with the leaf to catch up to the girl who was just boarding the bus. Just then, a convoy of trucks went past, and he was unable to see what was going on. When the last truck had passed, he saw that the college girls had boarded the bus. As he turned, he saw the same kid standing in front of him with the same leaf. There was something written on the other side: 'I have waited so long to hear this - Sora'. The bus left and the boy looked rather distraught. He looked back, and saw her standing at the sidewalk. The boy tossed his backpack on the ground without a care. They ran up to each other to accept each other's affection in a warm hug. They were truly content._

"...So this was a true story that happened on Valentine's Day." Matt concluded with a distant look on his face.

"Sir, what happened next - they lived happily ever after?" Cody asked innocently. Matt chuckled at this.

"Wrong. What happened next you all know." Matt stated. "This is the story of the one student at this academy who was expelled. The same one some of you would call the crazy lover. Was he crazy, was he mad, or was he a boy just like you...I do not know. Although, I do know that he listened to his heart all his life. I know that he gave up everything for the woman he loved...and I know that he still loves her, each day the love grows deeper." Matt was on the verge of tears, but he strengthened his resolve.

"Sir, how do you so much about him?" Cody asked, completely oblivious. Matt looked at the boy with a warm smile.

"How do I know so much about him..." Matt said softly. He turned to his guitar case, which rested on his chair. He lifted the latch and opened the cover. Taped on the inside covering was a single leaf. Matt stood to the side. TK, Izzy, and Ken were the first to venture up to the chair. The rest followed soon after. Upon closer inspection of the leaf, they noticed the text on it in black ink: "Dear Sora, I love you. - Matt". They all went wide-eyed as they turned to face their teacher.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sora." Matt said, eyes closed while he embraced the wind. He held a solitary leaf in his hand and gently let it go. All of his students watched him intently and gained an insurmountable deal of respect for him. TK, Ken, and Izzy felt something else, besides their reverence for their teacher. It was a spark inside that inspired them.

Throughout the day, at various places in the school, boys were writing notes on leaves. TK, Ken, and Izzy found the courage to sneak out that very afternoon.

Ken found Yolei where he expected her to be - in the gym practising her dance moves. He approached her and took her aside to talk.

"I know that I haven't always been very kind towards you." Ken started. "I also know that I acted shallow, but it was all an act - I was being insincere. Believe me when I sincerely say that I am madly in love with you." Yolei stared at him in shock. Ken chuckled to himself. "I know it's not easy to love a stubborn, and spoilt girl like you, but I know that behind this stubborn girl is a cute, little girl, a girl that reads romance novels at night, and dreams about love in the day, and a girl that has a clear conscience who speaks her mind. I know this because I have been looking at you from time to time when you thought I was staring at Rika. Behind your proud exterior is the girl I cannot live without. I love you, Yolei." He smiled at her in adoration. Yolei slowly made her way up to his face and pressed her lips against his. It was full of passion and love and intensified as they held each other closely. Yolei finally pulled herself away and had tears welling in her eyes.

"You talk a lot." She said, simply as her voice cracked.

"If you silence me like that, I would never shut up." Ken joked. She finally laughed at a joke of his and pulled him in closer for another kiss.

At the Kido estate, Izzy was not having the same kind of luck. He met Mimi at the stairs. She seemed somewhat void of emotions.

"I want you to leave, Izzy - forever." She said. Izzy was crestfallen. He tried to gather his thoughts.

"Why is this...what have I done?" He asked.

"You've done nothing wrong, Izzy. In fact, you have only given me happiness." Mimi stated. "You brought back music and gave me your friendship...for which I'll always be grateful. However, you also brought back those dreams, desires, and hopes that I had shut out and kept in a little corner of my heart. Those dreams belonged to a seventeen-year-old Mimi, and have no place in my life now. I cannot be your friend anymore...please forgive me and forget me." She was about to retreat for her room, but Izzy grabber her arm.

"One of the rules of friendship is that when you put your hand forward in acceptance, it can never be taken back." Izzy said. "Today, Mimi, I had come to tell you something, and I'm not going until I say it-"

"Koushiro!" Dr. Kido yelled to interrupt. Izzy turned around to see the old man and Jun staring at him. The look on the doctor's face was not very pleasant. Jun seemed rather concerned for Izzy. Dr. Kido walked towards the youth.

"I would like to hear what you want to tell her, too, so go ahead." He said. Izzy stood his ground and stared right into the older man's piercing eyes.

"Sir, I came here to tell her that I love her." Said Izzy. "I love her very much and-" The young boy was stopped cold by a hard slap to his face. Mimi retracted her hand and looked at him with an appalled look on her face. She then lowered her head, and turned away.

"I think you have your answer." The doctor told Izzy. "Now leave and never come back." Izzy lowered his head in defeat as he headed towards the door.

"Wait, Koushiro!" Jun yelled. The doctor looked at her in disbelief. She walked over to Mimi and took the girl's hand in her own. "Do you love this boy?"

"Jun, do you realize what you are saying?!" Dr. Kido fumed. "You are talking to a married girl!" Jun looked at him with fire in her eyes.

"No, Dr. Kido." Jun retorted. "I am talking to a girl whose husband is dead. I am talking to a widow, Dr. Kido, a widow!" The doctor's eyes grew wide. "Look at this girl, closely. For once, do not look at her as the youngest daughter-in-law in this family, but instead, look at her as the young girl whom you had brought into this house with promises and dreams of a happy life. Look at this girl who, for two years, has been carrying out the roles of a married woman just for you; so that way, by seeing her, you can keep on believing that your son is alive. Look at her and ask yourself, what is wrong if someone falls in love with her?" Both Mimi and Jun had tears in their eyes at the time. "What is wrong if she falls in love with someone...what is so wrong? Your son is dead...at least let her live." The elder shook his head.

"My son is not dead...he is not dead!" He said, defiantly. He walked away from the conversation to retreat to his study. Mimi eased herself away so she could cry in peace within the confines of her room. Jun looked back at Izzy with tears falling. Izzy looked at her solemnly and then left.

At a location near Lorrie's cafe, the owner of the same name walked through the crowd to reach Kari. He stopped her, and presented her with a leaf. He then pointed over at TK, who was standing across the street, to signify that it came from him. She looked at the large leaf in her hand and noticed a message in small writing. She read the note: "Ever since we used to laugh and cry about small things, I have loved you. Ever since we used to dance in the rain, I have loved you. When we used to sneak out to the terrace to count the stars, I have loved you. Now even I have forgotten since when I have loved you. I can only say that I have loved you and only you." She looked up at him with a tear shed, which she wiped away. She walked up to him.

"You love me so much?" Asked Kari. TK had a tear in his eye, too. He nodded at the question. "Since when?"

"Always." Said TK.

"Until today, you have never said a thing." She said, softly. TK smiled of embarrassment. "Silly - now what are you doing just standing there and staring at my face? Come on, take me in your arms." TK was glad to accept and literally swept her off her feet. She then kissed him passionately on the lips, thus sealing their destiny. Lorrie looked on and was bawling at the romantic scene before him. Ms. Asagi was also looking on and blew her nose on her handkerchief. Lorrie looked behind him to see her standing there. He thought for a moment and then looked back at her.

"Lorrie, you always gave me roses, and gifts. Why am I not getting a leaf today?" Asagi asked.

"No, Ms. Asagi, from now on I won't trouble you." Lorrie said, sadly. "I see now what a perfect pair looks like when I look at those two kids. You are very pretty and smart, and I'm stupid-looking and unintelligent. Such a pairing is all wrong. From today onwards, you will never have to worry about me bothering you."

"Well what if today, I start bothering you?" She asked. Lorrie looked back at her quickly. "What do you think of yourself?!" She yelled. "From who knows when have you been giving me things and saying rubbish. Now you say that you're going to stop?! Why will you not you trouble me? You will have to trouble me! I've gotten used to your nonsense. Besides, I find out now that I like you, Lorrie. Also, who says you look stupid?! I think you look rather cute. The truth is...I love you." She turned to face him after revealing her personal thoughts and met his feet. The poor man had fainted from the excitement!

During the evening, the winds had picked up again. The dean stood at the front of the school and peered out into the night. Matt came up right next to him out of nowhere.

"I can hear the bricks crumbling, Mr. Takenouchi, can you hear it?" Matt asked. "The winds have changed their direction once again." He held up a leaf to the older man's face. "It is the power of love, Mr. Takenouchi." Matt gave the leaf to him. "You better lock your windows and doors properly, sir, because love is in the air...and no one can stop it now." With that said and done, Matt walked away. The dean looked at the leaf, and carelessly flung it into the air.

In the town square, there was a festival being held for the holiday of love. There were a multitude of couples dancing. TK and Kari, as well as Ken and Yolei were amongst them. In the crowd, they could make out Lorrie and Ms. Asagi having a good time dancing. If they were not mistaken, they could swear that they saw several students from Kyoto Academy attending the event with their special ladies. Izzy was also there, but he sadly kept to a small corner, and was wallowing in self-pity. Meanwhile...

On the terrace at the Kido residence, Mimi stared out into the night, still sobbing lightly. A hand gently touched her shoulder, causing her to turn around. She saw Jun looking back at her with a supportive face. Behind Jun was her father-in-law. He was looking rather ashamed of himself. His face showed a lost hope that he now knew he could not regain, but it was replaced with a look of being very regretful. He approached Mimi and took her by the hand. He then slowly took the wedding band off her finger. He nodded at her and smiled a sad smile. Both he and Jun left her to think. The time of contemplation did not last long as she dashed down the stairs and out the door. She could only hope that Izzy was at the Valentine's Day Festival that was going on at the town square.

When she arrived she saw him looking on at the couples in a state of envy and sadness. She came up to him, and took him by the hand. Her eyes were puffy and somewhat red in colour, but a smile was on her face. Izzy's face lit up as he understood what was going on. He took her into his arms lovingly and took her out to the crowd to dance. Not a word was spoken between them, because it was unnecessary. They both knew what each other's hearts cried out for - what they yearned for.

The dance carried on for hours when a single car approached the mass. The crowd divided like the Red Sea as the car drove a few feet more and came to a stop. Out of the car stepped out an appalled Dean Takenouchi. The couples went dead silent, partially out of fear, partially out of not knowing what to do. The dean was about to speak, but he was stopped by the sound of a guitar.

At the other end of the crowd, there came a solitary musician. The melody was very melancholy, but it was beautiful nonetheless. The crowd parted in the same fashion as Matt came into view. He looked at his antagonist with a fiery determination emanating from his blazing blue eyes.

"The world is full of hate, even then hearts will desire. Even if they die, the ones who love...their love will stay alive." Matt said, softly. He then intensified the volume of his music. The crowd found newfound courage and started dancing again, even if it was in the presence of the dean. The dean stared daggers back at Matt, who continued playing without worry. Knowing he had lost that round, the dean left for home. Matt closed his eyes as he played.

_A small hand touched his shoulder as Sora appeared with him. She smiled proudly at the turn of events._

_"Witness the power of love." She simply said as she pointed to TK, Izzy, and Ken dancing with the women they love._

The following morning, TK, Ken, and Izzy were called into the dean's office. They all saw what was coming.

"I know this is not the first time that the three of you have broken the rules of this academy." The dean said. "I also know that you are responsible for the others behaving in a similar fashion. You have left me with no choice, but before I make a decision, I would like to ask you three one question. I would like you to think very carefully before answering, because your response will decide your fate. Did you do this out of your own free will, or is someone else responsible for this who encouraged or forced you?" The three looked at each other and nodded. They knew what they had to say.

"We take full responsibility for our actions, nobody else is responsible for what we did." Izzy said.

"We did what our hearts told us to do." TK added.

"We do not regret anything, because we do not think we did anything wrong." Ken finished. Their dean looked at each of them carefully.

"This is your last day in this academy, so start packing your bags." The dean responded. "You will be expelled tomorrow morning in front of everyone."

During that evening while the dean was reading his newspaper at his residence, a figure appeared at the door he left open on warm evenings. Matt noticed that there was a giant picture of Sora hung over the mantle. He approached the man. When he was beside the dean, he dropped to his knees in defeat.

"You won, I lost." Matt said without feeling. "As for my students, do not punish them for my mistakes. Do not do this to them, please. I did not come here to make another Yamato Ishida. I came here to make sure nobody else becomes a Yamato Ishida. Forgive them, your battle is with me, and I am in front of you - defeated and lost. I will do whatever you want, just forgive them. You won, I lost." The dean sat down so that way he could make easy eye contact with his foil.

"I want you to come tomorrow morning, and tell the students that whatever you have taught them and believed in, was wrong." The dean requested. "I want you to tell them that you do not believe in love, and that you are sorry for misleading them. Then I want you to quietly leave Kyoto Academy...and never come back." Matt slowly nodded. "Good, you can go now." The dean then got up from his seat and tended to the pictures on the mantle. Matt then stood up and started walking away. "I told you, Mr. Ishida, fear will always win. I told you that I would win...I told you" Matt turned back one last time and looked at Dean Takenouchi and then the picture of Sora. Something deep within Matt was rekindled as the fire in his eyes was lit again.

"I am sorry, sir, but from where I stand, it looks like you have lost." Matt told him. The dean looked back at him in a confused state. "From where I stand, I see a 55-year-old father standing below a memorial photograph of his 19-year-old daughter. You lost then...and you lost now. Have you ever wondered why I came back to Kyoto Academy? For whom? The girl I love is no more. Who are Ken, TK, and Izzy to me? I did not even know them. I did not know anyone here. I came back for you, Mr. Takenouchi." Matt raised his arm to the dean. "I came back for the father of the girl I loved. I came back because she always told me you were a very loving man, that you were only hard on the outside, but very soft on the inside. I came to break that hardness. Do you know, sir, I have no photograph of Sora. I never felt the need for it, because I see Sora whenever I see love. I thought that if I could make just one love story bloom in front of your eyes, you would be able to see her, too. You, too, would see how happy she is, and it would take your pain away. I had come to share your pain, Mr. Takenouchi. I had come to show you love. I came here because I realized one thing - Sora was incomplete without you. However you failed to see that she was incomplete without me too. We together made her complete. I came to complete what she couldn't do in her lifetime. I came to complete her - to complete Sora." Some of Matt's speech began to sink into the dean. He listened on intently. "You won every battle of life...but you lost everything worth living for. You lost a daughter then, and now you have lost a son. I am sorry, sir, but from where I stand you have lost everything, because I see a stubborn man with his back turned to the two people who truly loved him." Takenouchi then looked back to the mantle. The photograph of his smiling daughter stared at him. In the picture's reflection, he could still see Matt staring at him. Now understanding who Matt meant, the dean turned back to face him. "I am sorry, sir....I'm sorry." Matt turned back and headed out the door, leaving the dean alone in his thoughts.

The announcement was still held the following morning in the main hall. All the students were gathered there in their "formation". As usual, Matt appeared at the back. Izzy, Ken, and TK prepared to accept their fate. The dean began the announcement.

"For twenty-five years I have been very proud of the fact that I've run this institution with tradition, honour, and discipline." He began. "I believed that I had made my students stronger, fuller, and better men, who would come out as winners in the battle of life. I had been very proud of the fact that somewhere there is a bit of me within each and every student of Kyoto Academy. Now today, as I stand before you, I am not feeling so proud, because today I do not like the person that is standing in front of you. For today, I am not a man who came out as a winner in the battle of life...I have lost." Matt's ears perked up when he heard this. Could he have realized where he went wrong? "Your dean has become a sad, stubborn, and lonely man, who just did not understand the meaning of life. Today when I look back, I cannot help but feel that somewhere, all his former students must be sad and lonely, just like me, because I know I never smiled at them when they were scared...I never patted their backs when they did well...I never held them in my arms when they were sad." His voice was starting to crack. "I always believed that showing any kind of love and affection leads to pain, which in turn leads to weakness. In this process I became so hardhearted, that I forgot how to love. Today I want to go back to each of my students, hold them in my arms, apologize to them, and tell them one simple thing: life is about giving and receiving love...nothing else...nothing else. However I know that I cannot go back, but there is something I can do. It is something I have not done for twenty-five years...something that I should have done a long time ago: change. I will have to change. The old generation will have to change their old traditions so that a new generation can create a new tradition." The dean cleared his throat. "Now it is time for me to step down, and give you someone who has shown me that respect is not earned by fear, but by love...Mr. Yamato Ishida...please come up." All at once, the entire school body turned around to look at the successor. Matt slowly made his way down the aisle with tears streaming down his face. The students and teachers let out a big round of applause for the man who achieved the impossible. When Matt reached the podium, he turned to face Takenouchi. The elder held his hands together in front of him to plead to Matt. "I request you to please take over, and teach my students the essence of love and life. This way, I can proudly say that there is a Yamato Ishida in each and every student of Kyoto Academy...and probably then my daughter would forgive me!" Takenouchi broke down then and there. The once proud and disciplined man was reduced to tears of grief and remorse. Matt was also crying silently too. He shook his head and motioned for the dean to put down his hands. Matt then formally bowed to the dean in a sign of respect - something that his heart never allowed him to do earlier. The dean then outstretched his hands towards Matt. Without any hesitation, Matt embraced him, thereby accepting his apology and his love. The crowd applauded a second time, this time more louder and spirited than the first.

EPILOGUE (Matt's P.O.V.)

TK, Kari, Ken, Yolei, Izzy, and Mimi are truly happy. They do not fear anything coming in between their love. Everyone they know is very supportive of their relationships. As for the institution, the gate was removed. Yes, the doors to Kyoto Academy opened forever. Now singing, dancing, and happiness became the new identity of the college. Everything changed. Now there is everything here: music, friendship, love...and Sora.

_While taking daily walks throughout the grounds together, Mr. Takenouchi and me are joined by Sora. He was very surprised when he first saw her again, and is touched to see she is back to wearing the necklace that he had got her on her 19th birthday. She walks in between us, taking both of our hands. Now the both of us can see her, because the both of us can see love everywhere we go..._

-Some love stories live forever...

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END

Thus concludes our love story. I find it ironic that I finally finish this story so close to the actual Valentine's Day, don't you? Now the name of the film (drum roll, please).............._Mohabbatein_! The name translates to "love (story)". I urge you all to rent it! If you do, here's a spiffy character chart where you can compare the main characters from the movie to this story:

_Mohabbatein-------------_-----------------"Love on a Leaf"

Mr. Narayan Shankar--------------------Dean Takenouchi

Raj Aryan Malhotra----------------------Yamato "Matt" Ishida

Megha-----------------------------------Sora Takenouchi

Sameer----------------------------------Takeru "TK" Takaishi

Sanjana----------------------------------Hikari "Kari" Kamiya

Vicky------------------------------------Ken Ichijouji

Ishika------------------------------------Yolei/Miyako Inoue

Karan------------------------------------Koushiro "Izzy" Izumi

Kiran-------------------------------------Mimi Tachikawa

All of the characters listed will appear on the picture I draw, and will probably appear on the following link so keep checking now and then, it also has a few other pics I did: http://www.geocities.com/j_saywack/art.html. My "winner", Cracker, will be personally e-mailed the picture upon completion. Well I hope you enjoyed my piece. It's nice to see everyone reaping the benefits of love, even the dean! Review and share your thoughts (please!!!!) I need input/ideas for future stories. Until then, I'm signing off...

-O.P.


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